Cornish rock hens??

[k8frisby1]

I bought what I was told were Golden Comet chicks but now they look EXACTLY like cornish rock chicks-the white ones. I have no clue what to do with them-and am upset because I wanted laying hens. What do I do with them now? I didn't want meat birds and I've heard these are terrible layers and only live a couple years. One of them is already laying down a lot and they're only 5 weeks old!

I'd post pics but I'm not sure how to do that...

 

[donrae]

I'm sorry this happened to you. It's hard to get so attached and find out you've got basically a self-terminating bird.

My suggestion would be to sell them to someone who wants to process them as meat birds. Sounds like you don't want to process them yourself, so that would be the best thing.

some folks have raised them and kept them basically as pets, restricting feed and free ranging to encourage exercise. However, as you mentioned, they're poor layers, and eat a ton, even on restricted feed. If you're limited on space, you don't want to take up what you have with freeloaders.

I've found the farm and garden section of Craigslist a great place to advertise birds for sale. Best of luck.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I'm sorry this happened to you. It's hard to get so attached and find out you've got basically a self-terminating bird.

My suggestion would be to sell them to someone who wants to process them as meat birds. Sounds like you don't want to process them yourself, so that would be the best thing.

some folks have raised them and kept them basically as pets, restricting feed and free ranging to encourage exercise. However, as you mentioned, they're poor layers, and eat a ton, even on restricted feed. If you're limited on space, you don't want to take up what you have with freeloaders.

I've found the farm and garden section of Craigslist a great place to advertise birds for sale. Best of luck.

X 2 - the managed care to extend life is really more of a cruelty than a kindness, imo, and is something that should have started before even their tender age of 5 weeks. At this point the best thing for both you and the birds would be to find someone that does want what they are and allow yourself to start over with a flock of the laying breeds you thought you were getting to begin with.

 

[k8frisby1]

This is them...especially the one in the back with the red comb. They are about 5 weeks. The red comb one is being very bossy and chasing my other 2 chicks around.
Let me know what you think they are!!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Good news, they don't look like Cornish Cross; bad news, the one in the back is a cockerel (male).

 

[donrae]

I'm not sure what they are, but those are not Cornish Cross. At this age, CX would be at least twice that big.

the back bird is a cockerel.

They look to be some type of hybrid layer, some Leghorn probably for the white color with black flecks.

 

[k8frisby1]

Thanks everyone!! I think I've already found a home for the cockerel...he can not stay! And I think what most likely happened was that someone bred 2 Golden Comets so what I have is whatever the grandparents were...which could be any white bird

hopefully a good layer.