Eggbound Cornish cross

[Weeg]

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.

Interesting, I appreciate all of this info, thank you! Smudge had to be 5ish pounds with a fairly prominent keel bone. She didn't go without her feed break-in's though. She got pretty heavy at times, but reducing feed was brought her weight back down.

 

[NatJ]

Smudge had to be 5ish pounds with a fairly prominent keel bone.

How old was she at that point?

Of course it would make a big difference whether feed was restricted from an early age, or whether feed restriction starts after a lot of growth has already happened.

 

[Weeg]

How old was she at that point?

Of course it would make a big difference whether feed was restricted from an early age, or whether feed restriction starts after a lot of growth has already happened.

I'm gonna guess 25 weeks? Not a year old, I guess that makes a difference.

 

[Chickenlover600]

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!


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.


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.

I believe she may have a broken leg because she seems to use one to push and the other one just stays under her. I have put her into a homemade shopping cart holder for her so it would take the stress off her leg. The reason I suspect she has a broken something is because when I pick her up I her popping like bones, anything sound like this??

 

[The-White-Elephant]

I believe she may have a broken leg because she seems to use one to push and the other one just stays under her. I have put her into a homemade shopping cart holder for her so it would take the stress off her leg. The reason I suspect she has a broken something is because when I pick her up I her popping like bones, anything sound like this??

If she did break her leg, it might be from the weight related issues that I have said above. My opinion, she might have just broken it from some other reason, but taking stress of that leg is good, so great job!

 

[Weeg]

I believe she may have a broken leg because she seems to use one to push and the other one just stays under her. I have put her into a homemade shopping cart holder for her so it would take the stress off her leg. The reason I suspect she has a broken something is because when I pick her up I her popping like bones, anything sound like this??

Can you get a video of the sound? If she did break her leg I would put her down. It can be so hard to be faced with this situation, but if her genetics are putting her in this position, it may be merciful.

 

[LaFleche]

The reason I suspect she has a broken something is because when I pick her up I her popping like bones, anything sound like this??

Might even be a dislocated femur/hip.

Although these hybrids have a very docile and friendly personality and one can get easily attached, the time might have come to put her out of her miserey and butcher.

Starving an animal just to keep them alive a few weeks longer while they are already suffering from their body giving in, would just not be the quality of life I would want for my animals.

 

[Weeg]

Starving an animal just to keep them alive a few weeks longer while they are already suffering from their body giving in, would just not be the quality of life I would want for my animals.

Agreed. If something is broken, its time to put her down.
Even if everything is intact, I would really start to consider putting her down. Who knows if she would recover fast enough from further feed restriction, its a ver sad situation, but also very merciful.