Can white rocks get as big as the cornish cross?

[Cyan Night]

I recently adopted a chicken from my dad's coworker. He stated that she was a leghorn, so it came as a huge surprise when she came home and looked around 10 pounds, if not bigger. First thought; that is not a leghorn. I have no experience with white rocks or broilers. Her legs are massive, so are her breasts and body overall, but she does not look like her body is giving out at all, which surprises me if she's actually a broiler. According to the previous owner, he got her as a chick back in January, her hatch mate died young, which also makes me think broiler. But this girl is 8 months and has no problems other than her massive size. Could she be a white rock? Or is she most likely a lucky broiler? How much should I feed her so she doesn't start developing problems and stress on her body from the weight if she's a cornish x?
Thanks!

 

[BantamLover21]

Could you post a photo of her? According the the APA Standard of Perfection, White Rock hens should weigh about 7 1/2 pounds. If yours weighs more than this, I would bet that she is a "lucky" Cornish X.

 

[Cyan Night]

I'm not looking to show her, breed her, or eat her, so I just want to make sure I can keep up with her needs. I'll definitely try to get a picture of her later
ETA:
I think her previous owner just fed her oats and maybe corn. Would that contribute to her size if she were a white rock?

 

[keesmom]

If that is all they fed her then she is likely a broiler. It kept her from growing too quickly.

 

[Michael OShay]

Sounds like she is a Cornish X. Cornish X hens, if allowed to continue to grow (assuming they don't die from health problems) can reach double the weight of White Rock hens.

 

[BantamLover21]

If that is all they fed her then she is likely a broiler. It kept her from growing too quickly.

x2

 

[Cyan Night]

Thanks guys. I figured as much, just hoping I was wrong! So how often should I feed her and what amount? Right now I'm giving her about a cup of layer feed a day. Too much or too little?

 

[Michael OShay]

Thanks guys. I figured as much, just hoping I was wrong! So how often should I feed her and what amount? Right now I'm giving her about a cup of layer feed a day. Too much or too little?

That depends on your plans for her. Personally, I would go ahead and butcher her while she is still relatively young and tender (we butchered our Cornish cross at 8 weeks when they were around 8 lbs.). She will not have a good laying life, but if you intend to try and keep her as a pet, I would severely restrict her diet (feeding her layer feed only twice a day, once in the morning and one in the afternoon, and no more than she can consume in a couple of hours), and the only treats I would give her are leafy greens. Even with this kind of diet, I would not expect her lifespan to be more than 12-18 months (if you're lucky) with likely a painful, suffering ending (broken leg, heart attack, etc.) to her life. I hate to sound so gruesome, but that's the reality of Cornish X because of their unnatural growth rate.

 

[Cyan Night]

No, trust me, I understand. If I could, I probably would butcher her, but unfortunately I don't think I could actually do it. Plus, the previous owner would probably be upset because she was a pet and that's how I see my chickens as well. So I'll probably just let her do her thing with extra exercise and a lot of leafy greens and let her live out her life. If for some reason she gets bad, then I'll probably put her down. Is a cup of layer too much? Or should I do a cup twice a day?

 

[Michael OShay]

Is a cup of layer too much? Or should I do a cup twice a day?

I would put a cup out in the morning and see how long it takes her to eat it. If she finishes it off inside of two hours, I would put another cup out late in the afternoon. If she still has food left in the cup at the end of the two hours in the morning feeding, I would take it the remainder up until the afternoon feeding and then put it back out for her at that time.