CORNISH ROCKS, pets?

[rosemarythyme]

Are you willing to cull them if/when they get too heavy or develop health problems? If the answer is no, then don't do it.

Just keep in mind that by buying chicks, this will just mean the store orders more, so it just keeps the cycle going.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Are you willing to cull them if/when they get too heavy or develop health problems? If the answer is no, then don't do it.

Just keep in mind that by buying chicks, this will just mean the store orders more, so it just keeps the cycle going.

Thank you, i had already stated in my thread im vegan and not okay with killing BUT, if they are ill i will, just not because their meat birds. I dont think ill buy them, thanks for the advice!

 

[rosemarythyme]

BUT, if they are ill i will

Good to know - that was my question, as some folks take things to the extreme and won't put down animals even if they're suffering and can't recover.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Good to know - that was my question, as some folks take things to the extreme and won't put down animals even if they're suffering and can't recover.

Thats cruel to me. I never would for meat, to me i have no reason to and i dont like it, however, if they are injured, ill, etc. i have no reason to not put them out of their misery! Thats even worse.
thanks again for your help! I appreciate it

 

[K0k0shka]

Is there any particular reason why you want this breed of chicken? If you were rescuing grown cornish chickens from a bad situation, it would make sense, but you'd be buying new hatchlings from a store, so why this breed? You aren't making much of a dent in the food industry by buying a couple of chicks to save from being eaten. Buying them encourages the sellers/breeders to just make more. I personally wouldn't want to encourage that by buying any of their chickens. I would never keep them as pets because their quality of life is so low, sadly. It's not worth it - not for them, and not for you, just heartbreak waiting to happen. If you want some pet chickens to give a happy life to, get normal breeds that will live normal lives, and don't encourage the cornish breeders.

 

[Chicken poppy]

thank you everyone! I think i got the answers i needed, thanks again.

 

[HollyBerrie]

Even though it seems @Chicken poppy has gotten the answers I just want to add a few things:

Purchasing a few Cornish Cross chicks for pets from the local farm store is such a small number is not going make one dent or smidgen of difference in the whole realm of "encouraging" the industry, but it would make all the difference in the world to those 2-3 chicks.

People everywhere are not good to their chickens. Even an ethical meat eater who properly takes care of the Cornish Cross can save them from a hell of a life that most experience. Ethical meat eater-meaning give the birds freedom to roam in a green pasture with trees, shrubs, places to dirt bathe, scraps from the garden. Also, ethically butcher which is a whole separate topic.

Growing too large: One way I've found for weight management is extra garden produce. If you have one specified area, like a compost pile, that you can throw all the overripe or extra goodies in. Chickens love to go through it all. Cornish especially since they love to eat. They will spend more time and exert more energy going through the goodies.

Hope all is going well with what you decided @Chicken poppy.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Even though it seems @Chicken poppy has gotten the answers I just want to add a few things:

Purchasing a few Cornish Cross chicks for pets from the local farm store is such a small number is not going make one dent or smidgen of difference in the whole realm of "encouraging" the industry, but it would make all the difference in the world to those 2-3 chicks.

People everywhere are not good to their chickens. Even an ethical meat eater who properly takes care of the Cornish Cross can save them from a hell of a life that most experience. Ethical meat eater-meaning give the birds freedom to roam in a green pasture with trees, shrubs, places to dirt bathe, scraps from the garden. Also, ethically butcher which is a whole separate topic.

Growing too large: One way I've found for weight management is extra garden produce. If you have one specified area, like a compost pile, that you can throw all the overripe or extra goodies in. Chickens love to go through it all. Cornish especially since they love to eat. They will spend more time and exert more energy going through the goodies.

Hope all is going well with what you decided @Chicken poppy.

Thank you! I love reading what everyone has to say, even if my decision is made.


I really appreciate you taking the time to write this! If i ever got a Cornish, i would treat them with upmost respect, just as someone would with a dog or a cat.

Im not going to get any now, however. Not because i don’t want one, but because i finally was able to mix all my chickens to be one flock, and it was very exhausting. Now no separation, just one big flock that gets to free range together. I know if i got another chicken, (of any breed) my luck, id never get to intermix it and it would be lonely. So right now, i have cut myself off on chickens! Im at a good point where everyone tolerates everyone so i’ll keep it like this for a while.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I have thought about buying a big bunch of meat birds in years to save them, let them free range and enjoy a life....even if it's short.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I don't mean this to be rude but what would be the point? I would argue it is inhumane to keep them past 10 weeks old, unless you are SUPER committed to a very restrictive feed schedule. There have been stories on here of people raising Cornish Rock/Cornish X to an older age with a very restricted feed schedule, but I think it is difficult to do. If you aren't committed to that or have other chickens, your meat chicken might get too large and develop heart and leg problems. That would be inhumane.

I think it would be best to just get a laying breed for yourself. You shouldn't feel the need to "save" a meat chicken. I know it might feel good in your heart, but you could be causing unintentional suffering. When meat birds are properly raised and quickly slaughtered, they live quite a good life.

Can you elaborate more on how people in your area are not humane in butchering? I'm wondering if it might look that way from afar but they are using quick and humane methods. Yes, chopping off a head or bleeding out a chicken can look pretty brutal, but there is very little suffering involved. It's usually over before the chicken even knows what hit it.