Eggbound Cornish cross

[Weeg]

I’m sorry I said a cup but I meant 1/4 cup in the morning and 1/4 cup at 4 I edited it

Oooooh kay, that makes much more sense. So 1/2c of food per day, that sounds about right. Still interested in the amount of protein in that feed. Sometimes things just don't work out. Is she your only Cornish?

 

[Chickenlover600]

Oooooh kay, that makes much more sense. So 1/2c of food per day, that sounds about right. Still interested in the amount of protein in that feed. Sometimes things just don't work out. Is she your only Cornish?

Yeah she’s my only Cornish cross the place we bought her from told us she would just be a normal laying hen. The protein is 20%

 

[Weeg]

She is 8.9lbs

Ouch, that quite heavy. I never weighted my Smudge before she passed, but I guessing she was less than 8 pounds. Thats how heavy my other Cornish were when I butchered them. Its likely things are catching up to her, her legs can't hold her weight anymore, and things are giving out. Who knows what next.
Its likely the protein in that feed is what did it. I don't feed more than 18% protein if I can keep them from breaking into the feed room.

 

[Chickenlover600]

Ouch, that quite heavy. I never weighted my Smudge before she passed, but I guessing she was less than 8 pounds. Thats how heavy my other Cornish were when I butchered them. Its likely things are catching up to her, her legs can't hold her weight anymore, and things are giving out. Who knows what next.
Its likely the protein in that feed is what did it. I don't feed more than 18% protein if I can keep them from breaking into the feed room.

what should I do

 

[Weeg]

what should I do

I'm not sure. I'm a firm believer in not giving up, but if she doesn't improve you may want to consider putting her down. If it were me, I would wait until the input of more experienced members come in, but may put her in a chicken sling for the mean time. Just to get her off her feet. If other members say there's a chance, I would immediately switch to the lowest protein feed possible, which I believe is 16%. Drop her intake to 1/4 a day. Then feed a glucosamine supplement. I fed an equine supplement to my birds, it was 6000, the highest dosage, but I've seen one at TSC thats 5000 which is more readily available. Keep her in a sling or wheelchair so she doesn't injure herself.
I'm sorry to say that I'm not sure how likely it is that she can be cured. I would wait and see what others say, but prepare yourself for "that" option. I'm so sorry your having to go through this, its really rough.

 

[NatJ]

what should I do

If you are willing to butcher her, that is probably the best choice.

If you are not willing to do that, then probably continue with limiting her feed, perhaps an even smaller amount than you have been feeding. Make sure she has access to plenty water (I can't tell if she has trouble getting to it or not.) Make sure she stays fairly clean (so she doesn't get sores from laying in her own waste). In the video, it looks like she is on clean grass: good!

Its likely the protein in that feed is what did it. I don't feed more than 18% protein if I can keep them from breaking into the feed room.

I would think the total amount of protein matters more than the percent protein.

1/2 cup of food at 20% protein will have less total protein than 3/4 cup of food at 18% protein.

If you feed a lower protein food, you are most likely giving the same amount of energy (calories) with less protein. I suspect that feeding less food is more helpful than changing to a slightly lower level of protein.

Its likely things are catching up to her, her legs can't hold her weight anymore, and things are giving out. Who knows what next.

Unfortunately, I agree with this.

I see that @Weeg has some other suggestions-- I don't know enough to tell whether they will help, but I don't see any harm in trying them.

 

[Weeg]

I see that @Weeg has some other suggestions-- I don't know enough to tell whether they will help, but I don't see any harm in trying them.

I'd like to comment that I have to agree. My suggestion for treatment are just things I would try, not entirely sure if they would actually help. If you do decide to go through with it, I would use a walker though. This will allow her to move without risking injuring herself.

I would think the total amount of protein matters more than the percent protein.

1/2 cup of food at 20% protein will have less total protein than 3/4 cup of food at 18% protein.

If you feed a lower protein food, you are most likely giving the same amount of energy (calories) with less protein. I suspect that feeding less food is more helpful than changing to a slightly lower level of protein.

Huh, this is very interesting. Thank you for clarifying this for me.
I'm interested to see why she is so heavy then. The OP was feeding 1/2c of feed per day, protein amount is fine, than why is she 8.9lbs? Maybe just genetics? Or is she secretly sneaking into some other feed somewhere? I know I struggled with this with my Smudge, its really surprising how high they can jump, and how determined they are once they know were to find food.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Either it is Marek’s disease or she has outgrown her legs. As the guy above me said, meat chickens, especially Cornish, are only made to survive about 6-7 months, and then eaten. This is why you don’t see many past that age, because they are simply just not made for that. You should check her feet like @Weeg said. She might have bumble foot, or something stuck In her foot. It also common, that, unfortunately, for Cornish chickens, that if they are kept over 11 months, they can start breaking their own bones from their weight, and this has happened before. Just make sure to keep and eye out for her for any other symptoms. One more thing, if she has some kind of spreadable disease, you should separate her from your flock, so the Rest of you chickens stay healthy. Hope she gets well soon!

 

[LaFleche]

Cornish X hybrids are meat birds meant to be butchered around the age of 10-12 weeks, sometimes even younger. And even then, reaching these 10-12 weeks often has them crawling on their chest/belly already, unable to walk, as their legs no longer support the enormous weight they put on in these few weeks.

I am afraid that it is just as @sourland put it: Her genetics are catching up to her as she already surpassed by far her proyected lifespan.

 

[NatJ]

I'm interested to see why she is so heavy then. The OP was feeding 1/2c of feed per day, protein amount is fine, than why is she 8.9lbs? Maybe just genetics? Or is she secretly sneaking into some other feed somewhere?

A Cornish Cross is expected to be very efficient at converting feed into meat, and she's had quite a while to grow, and she may have been able to forage some amount of additional feed as well.

For a chicken that's close to a year old, and that's supposed to be a big breed, 8.9 pounds is not all that heavy. There are a number of breeds that are supposed to have hens and roosters larger than that (like Brahmas and Jersey Giants). Unfortunately for this hen, she doesn't seem to be that weight very well, unlike some other breeds that are bred to be functional at higher weights.