Commercial farm escapies. Need advice

[kingfrodo]

there is a commerical chicken house on my little county road and last week two of the birds escaped the truck that was to haul them off to be processed.

The super nice farmer guy came by the house today and asked if I wanted them b/c if not he is required to dispatch them and put them in the incinerator.

I said sure. I didnt really know what else to say. I now have two fat chickies in the isolation room. They are young enough they still make the baby chick peeps but they have feathers on their bodies, although you can see near the rear and under belly they are totally missing or thin.

My question is this. If they pass the health check CAN they go on to be normal chickens or are they such abnormal birds that the humane thing is to kill them?

I am fairly certain one is a cockeral and he will for sure go to freezer camp if he is. I hope they both end up being hens.

What do you guys think? I've never had a meat bird so I dont know anything about them. Mr. Chuck said they are cobb crosses?? I think that's what he said.

 

[DavidKerk]

If they are from a large commercial farm, then they are probably some mess of genetics and are going to get really big really fast. If they are a breed like this, they will grow rapidly and end up dying of starvation because they can't reach the food or water (unless they have a heart attack before this). If you know how to process them then I would do that when they are of age. I hope this helps!

 

[myfinefeatheredfriends]

Processing them yourself would probably be more humane than what they would do to them. I would consider them a free meal, no more. They don't live long and if they do they eventually die of heart attacks. I would not expect laying hens out of them.

 

[kingfrodo]

Thanks guys. I guess deep down I knew that answer but just wanted to hear a more experienced voice.

I have a friend that raises and processes his own quail so I'll call him over to help me. I know how to process in therory but have never done it myself. (for chickens) I have experience with hogs and deer.

 

[kuntrygirl]

What kind of meat bird is it?

 

[donrae]

There have been folks here that have kept Cornish cross birds up to a year old, with correct feed management and lots of free range exercise. It can be done, but just cause someone's done it doesn't mean it WILL work, there have been many more who lost the bird after 4ish months to CHF or leg issues. If you want to try to raise them, just be prepared to dispatch them if/when they start showing signs of distress.

I'd also just embrace the free meals.

 

[kuntrygirl]

There have been folks here that have kept Cornish cross birds up to a year old, with correct feed management and lots of free range exercise. It can be done, but just cause someone's done it doesn't mean it WILL work, there have been many more who lost the bird after 4ish months to CHF or leg issues. If you want to try to raise them, just be prepared to dispatch them if/when they start showing signs of distress. 

I'd also just embrace the free meals. 

I totally agree.

The reason I asked what kind of meat bird it was because I am one of those who have successfully raised 6 Cornish hens that lived to be 4 years old. I was meticulous with their feeding and made sure they got exercise every day. After 4 years, they started having leg problems and eventually died.

Here's a pic of 3 of them who just had a dust bath. Their names were Hilda (all of them had the same name).

 

[kingfrodo]

What kind of meat bird is it?

he said something like cobb cross. He almost acted like he didnt even know.

 

[kingfrodo]

I totally agree.

The reason I asked what kind of meat bird it was because I am one of those who have successfully raised 6 Cornish hens that lived to be 4 years old. I was meticulous with their feeding and made sure they got exercise every day. After 4 years, they started having leg problems and eventually died.

Here's a pic of 3 of them who just had a dust bath. Their names were Hilda (all of them had the same name).

they look very similar to this. They are still young b/c they make the baby chick peeps. I think in the essence of my abilities of keeping a special needs bird I am going to process them this week. I just don't think in this season of my life I can handle keeping them.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I totally agree. The reason I asked what kind of meat bird it was because I am one of those who have successfully raised 6 Cornish hens that lived to be 4 years old. I was meticulous with their feeding and made sure they got exercise every day. After 4 years, they started having leg problems and eventually died. Here's a pic of 3 of them who just had a dust bath. Their names were Hilda (all of them had the same name).

they look very similar to this. They are still young b/c they make the baby chick peeps. I think in the essence of my abilities of keeping a special needs bird I am going to process them this week. I just don't think in this season of my life I can handle keeping them.

I totally understand. I don't think that I would try that again either. It was a lot of work and a lot of worrying. I would always wonder when would I go in the chicken pen and find them dead. 4 years of worrying. I got gray hair cause of those birds.