⠀ Cornish Rocks; Growth and Heart Issues?

[ItsThingTwo]

So first this is my 7 ~ Month old hen Britt;



I've finally figured out how to maintain her at a healthy weight that allows her to 'fly' or at least jump the required height to move about her pen. Currently she is a clean bill of health I'm proud, and lucky to state! Sadly moving into summer I'm getting faintly concerned about these things; is there anything I can give her that will help her heart in the long run?

I want to avoid anything that will intrude on her laying cycle; it's part of her daily routine that really makes her move to reach the nesting area, to lay and then to check on the egg (as well as habitually 'showing' me her newest egg when I bring the other hens feed) and thus keeps her active given she's never brooded on me before.



Second;

I recently got 10 Cornish Rock Chicks from tractor supply; I want to give them Vitamin D and anything else that will help their bones to withstand the body's rapid growth. While I do plan to monitor weight I just want to be safe with them given these are meant to be layers, with the exception of 1-2 for food and any roosters) in the future.

What can I give them that's safe and won't endanger them? I've read that this type of thing can slow weight gain as well is that true?

 

[Molpet]

She is a pretty bird, I can see why you would want to keep her....free ranging and feeding 2x a day while growing helps, but did you know this breed was bred to be processed by 12 weeks and not expected to live much longer?

 

[enola]

I raised a cornish x hen to maturity. I hatched her eggs to sell to an ethnic group of people in a nearby town. She was not quite as active as my regular layers, but she was a happy hen. When she molted and stopped laying after her first season, I butchered her. There was nothing abnormal in any of her body parts. She appeared to be in excellent health. I did control her diet to maintain a healthy body weight. But, she proved that not all cornish x chickens are going to live a very short life and then die a horrible death.

 

[ItsThingTwo]

Quote:

I raised a cornish x hen to maturity. I hatched her eggs to sell to an ethnic group of people in a nearby town. She was not quite as active as my regular layers, but she was a happy hen. When she molted and stopped laying after her first season, I butchered her. There was nothing abnormal in any of her body parts. She appeared to be in excellent health. I did control her diet to maintain a healthy body weight. But, she proved that not all cornish x chickens are going to live a very short life and then die a horrible death.

You have no clue how refreshing it is to hear somebody talking about a Cornish X they've owned in good health! (Or perhaps you do) All I hear is horror story after horror when I look online and when I try to ask people at food stores about feeding plans I get the same old 'Feed this until you butcher at around 8 Weeks' and then clueless and judging looks when I mention I meant for my best layer and not for one that's to be butchered right away..

If you don't mind my asking; What did you feed your Cornish X? and is there anything I should watch out for when buying feeds other then avoiding fattening ones?

She is a pretty bird, I can see why you would want to keep her....free ranging and feeding 2x a day while growing helps, but did you know this breed was bred to be processed by 12 weeks and not expected to live much longer?

I am fully aware of that; thus why I'm seeking methods of reducing strain on her heart and am maintaining her weight at a more lean state. She's a very active and healthy bird all breed issues and rumors considered and Cornish Rocks are known to even reach 3-4 years if you're careful and even then most I've seen living that long are seemingly butchered or seem to die to other causes;



Fully Feathered; Aprox. 15-20 Pounds; I got her back in October my only current worry is that I didn't hatch and raise this hen. I never got the chance to provide any early supplements. Thanks to my new clutch (I think I'm one of few people who've bought chickens and then was upset that one wasn't a Cornish Rock-) We're rebuilding the pen to house everything so it's a good chance to introduce vitamins to her water as well.


I'm also planning to carefully monitor my chicks; any roosters and anything showing heart or leg issues will be sent to be processed; I have no wishes to keep a chicken that's suffering.

 

[enola]

I fed her a measured amount two time a day. But, I don't remember how much it was. I wet the feed because she wolfed it down so quickly she would choke. She got a layer feed and rolled oats. By volume 2/3 layer feed and 1/3 oats. She laid 4 or 5 eggs a week at the beginning of her laying season. Toward the end, 3 eggs a week. The only reason I decided to butcher her was because her eggs were progressively getting bigger and she was laying at least one double holier a week. Since I think it is foolish to incubate double yolkers, I decided she would make a great dinner.

Remember though, you got your hen as an adult. I started watching out how much feed she got when she was 4 weeks old.

My hen was in the coop with my other layers, but couldn't eat out of their feeder because it was up on a table. I don't know that she ever tried to get on the table.

 

[DrPatrickBiggs]

If you are having unusually high health issues with your birds, we always recommend seeking advice from your local veterinarian.