Cornish cross won't stand up

[Chandler chicks]

Hello, this is our second run of Cornish cross birds. First group we raised in the spring and they did great. Our second group, we have kept and fed exactly the same but have noticed a couple of them are laying down, wings out and ruffled, won't eat or drink. I have tried to get them to stand but they keep their legs tucked under. They both seem to be just getting weaker and weaker despite trying to make them drink. Stools look normal, no cough or drainage...rest of flock appear normal. Should we cull them, should we butcher them, should we eat them? Any comments are appreciated, thanks.

 

[phalenbeck]

Going down on there legs is not uncommon. Process and eat now. It is just the rapid growth, and sometimes I have none, and sometimes a few a batch.

 

[Chandler chicks]

Thanks, we will butcher the two that are down. They are
5 weeks old so should get a rotisserie size out of them.

 

[Happy Chooks]

If they are looking puffed up, they could have coccidiosis.

 

[Chandler chicks]

Update...yesterday when we went to the coop, one of the two was dead. THe second was alive but still lethargic and would not stand. She would take water but not eat. We decided to butcher thinking perhaps this was just a case of heart failure from rapid growth but when we opened her, there was no ascites fluid, no fluid around the heart, liver and intestines appeared normal. I did not look at lungs. We decided to just discard the carcass for fear there was an infection we could not see. The rest of the flock appear normal and I am hoping no one else gets sick. We will butcher at 8-9 weeks. Thank you for your responses, this site is wonderful for timely and accurate information.