Cornish cross dilemma :(

[JackieTS]

Hello
I’m new to this site and new to raising chickens.
So my question is what should I feed my Cornish cross if I am not raising them for meat. TSC sold us 6 Cornish cross in a bin marked bantams. My sweet husband bought them without me and even though I had no idea what a Cornish cross was - I knew that they were not bantams. I discovered what breed they were at 11 days
old
We are super attached to them - they are so sweet And I’ve heard different ways to limit food to keep them healthy. They are 11 weeks old. They free range and forage every day. But I’m just not sure what to feed them? My local feed store has suggested just feeding them 3 way scratch and letting them forage. I don’t want to harm them but I also don’t want them to grow so big it kills them. Very sad situation.
Thank you so much for any suggestions
Jackie

 

[jolenesdad]

How old are they now? What other chickens do you have? Are you on Facebook?

 

[jolenesdad]

oh! Also, welcome to ByC!

 

[RobertaD1]

I don't know how.. or IF you can feed them to keep them going. These are bred to process. They WILL reach a certain weight that they will have to be processed, or it will kill them naturally.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
It's hard/ impossible to overcome genetics completely, and these birds are all meant to go to the freezer by eight weeks of age or so.
Do you eat chicken? Your birds are having a much better life than any of those at the supermarket!
Do feed them a complete diet, not scratch (bad advice!) but limit it to about ten hours each day, or a little less, and encourage that free ranging activity. You have done really well to have them all this long! I'm impressed!
Having them active is great, as long as they can. Heat is a big problem for them, be careful that they aren't overheated during this hot summer.
Major issues are related to bones and joints failing, and heart failure. Don't have roosts, or at least only very very low ones, because jumping down isn't safe for them.
Be prepared when getting chicks at feed stores! They are often mislabeled, both breed and sex, because staff doesn't know about them. Look up pictures of what the breeds you are interested in actually look like as chicks first.
Mary

 

[JackieTS]

How old are they now? What other chickens do you have? Are you on Facebook?

They are 11 weeks old.
yes. I have fb acct
I’m going to try and post some pictures but we live in the country so internet is sketchy
I wish I could post a video bc the roosters seem like they are trying to crow
we also have 8 beautiful cinnamon queens that are 5 weeks old and 2 cute silkies that are 4 Weeks old.

Welcome!
It's hard/ impossible to overcome genetics completely, and these birds are all meant to go to the freezer by eight weeks of age or so.
Do you eat chicken? Your birds are having a much better life than any of those at the supermarket!
Do feed them a complete diet, not scratch (bad advice!) but limit it to about ten hours each day, or a little less, and encourage that free ranging activity. You have done really well to have them all this long! I'm impressed!
Having them active is great, as long as they can. Heat is a big problem for them, be careful that they aren't overheated during this hot summer.
Major issues are related to bones and joints failing, and heart failure. Don't have roosts, or at least only very very low ones, because jumping down isn't safe for them.
Be prepared when getting chicks at feed stores! They are often mislabeled, both breed and sex, because staff doesn't know about them. Look up pictures of what the breeds you are interested in actually look like as chicks first.
Mary

Thank you Mary for your advice.
we have a fan in the roost for comfort. And yes- they don’t roost I keep their shavings as clean as I can.
So far, they are all still up and about. Actually trying to chase bugs. I wish I could get some pictures and videos to download. I’ll try when I go to town. We live in the country and the internet is not so good.
I do not fault anyone for raising meat chickens. I don’t. And I do eat meat. It’s just that I was not prepared for this and it makes me so sad. And really really mad at TSC. Bc they should know what they are selling. Especially when it is a chicken genetically modified to be ONLY for meat.

 

[jolenesdad]

If you don’t have other young chickens eating the same food, get a 16% grower feed for them. If you’re on FB, there’s a group that is for people who have mistakenly gotten Cornish Cross and want to keep them. Lots of them successfully keep these guys around for 2 years. Let me know if you want a link.

They should be on a supplement with Biotin in it for their legs. B vitamins also help.

 

[JackieTS]

Yes!!! Please send me the link
Thank you thank you!
Do they make a feed with those supplements?
I so appreciate your help

 

[JackieTS]

Yes!!! Please send me the link
Thank you thank you!
Do they make a feed with those supplements?
I so appreciate your help

 

[jolenesdad]

Yes!!! Please send me the link
Thank you thank you!
Do they make a feed with those supplements?
I so appreciate your help

No they don’t. You don’t want to over supplement a bird. However, you sort of want to supplement a Cornish to the MAX you can safely.

there’s biotin in a few things. Its included in the best broiler electrolytes but you don’t want them on salty electrolytes forever. If they were meat birds you could because they are processed early in life. But for anything that you are keeping long term that’s not good for their liver and kidneys.

I know with horses I’ve put gelatin packets in their food on the advice of my bet for biotin and good growth. I’m going to ask some Cornish folks if that would work for the biotin you need for them.

I would not feed them a BIT over 16% protein. And it should probably be limited. Lemme find the link.