Experiment Gone Wrong

[BjaJra826]

I have a cornish cross named Cream that my daughter had to have. Because she is such a gentle giant I though we could let her live with my egg layers and see if she lays. We are just past the 6 month mark mow, and my RIR is trearing her up. Cream is not laying and has not shown any signs, but she keeps trying to roost in the nesting boxes. My layers are not tolerating this. She has lost most of her tail feathers and a few wing feathers. I have been covering her wounds in blue hen healer, and we were doing prettu good. Until last night that is. Now the layers have torn all but 3 of her tail feathers out and torn her tail up pretty good. Cream is easily 3 times the size of the layers but won't defend herself. I currently have no other place for her to go. If I cull her, can we eat her with the injuries she sustained or do I need to feed her to our dogs/throw the whole carcass away? I just feel like keeping her alive longer is not in her best interest anymore( her weight is starting to cause leg issues as well). I hate to lose her as she is a very sweet chicken, but I would feel better if her death resulted in some good.

 

[cleoandtheflock]

It is your choice but she sounds like a sweet little hen and I think she would chose to live
If the other hens aren’t excepting her than you could keep her in a dog crate in the run with them until she is accepted
How are her wounds doing

 

[BjaJra826]

Not good. I feel bad. I've kept her alive for my benefit. I am always worried I am being selfish and not taking her into account. I have her soaking in a warm bath right now so I can assess the wounds better without alm the blood.

 

[hispoptart]

Did you intergrade her slowly with the others or just toss her in hoping for the best? As @cleoandtheflock said they need time to accept her.

 

[sylviethecochin]

So long as the wound is fresh and uninfected, she's perfectly safe to eat. I would cut off the tail.

Good luck with whatever it is that you decide to do.

 

[Amc29]

My understanding of cornish cross is that they really aren't intended to live very long. They are butchered around 8 weeks, and can develop significant leg problems and heart problems. She is probably roosting in the nest box because she is too heavy to get herself up any higher. They can live longer, but only you can really determine the quality of life she is having. I have seen people write about how they have ones that have lived to two years, but I believe that is the exception rather than the rule. Granted, I don't have any personal experience. Best wishes to you in whatever you decide going forward <3

 

[h2oratt]

I would dispatch her. I would eat her. They can’t support their weight on their legs. They were bred for this.

 

[BjaJra826]

I got her cleaned up. She still looks awful. And the stress of getting cleaned up has her panting pretty bad. She was slowly integrated and was accepted until the layers started laying again a month ago. Her wing is worse than I thought before I cleaned it. Her tail is pretty torn. No infection yet, as it just happened last night/this morning. I know she has lived a long life for her breed. And that she was well cared for and loved. My small cage has 2 week old chickens in it right now, and she is violent towards them. On the other side, she is eating , drinking, havibg normal bowel movements, and is currently preening herself.

Trying to think of our options now. Thank you everyone for you advice!

 

[hispoptart]

Awe the poor thing! So sorry you are having to make this decision. Only you though, can decide how much she's suffering and if her time is up.

 

[Cluckerzfamilyfarm]

It being a cross.....its time.. just my opinion