Fat baby chick, can't stand up long

[danikiser]

Hello. I'm new to chickens, thank you all for all the wonderful information.

I had been trying to hatch a dozen silkie eggs, and only one hatched. She was super lonely, so I went to the feed store and got her a baby chicken friend.

It was a few days old when I got and twice the size of my silkie. I was gone two days and it literally doubled in size, and now she is so fat that she hardly stands up. Her feet are bigger than her, but not strong enough in the legs. She loves eating. I feed chicken food and hard boiled eggs.

I'm sure that she is a meat chicken, but I'm wondering if there is anything I can do for her? Should I restrict her food? She is such an awesome chicken.

 

[lazy gardener]

If she can't stand at this age, there is something wrong with her. Any chance the store will take her back and let you get a layer chick?

 

[junebuggena]

Meat chicks need a restricted diet to prevent them from growing too large, too quickly.

 

[LadyVictorian]

Unfortunately a lot of the meat birds who are crosses are breed for rapid growth in a short amount of time which is why they don't live long outside butchering age. (6-8 weeks old). They have bad legs and grow too large too fast to hold their weight up. I have seen people keep them alive almost a whole year with a very restricted diet but it seems so many of them die from bad hearts. I agree with taking her back and getting a laying breed instead.

 

[drumstick diva]

I agree. Cornish Meat birds are condemned to death from the moment they are born. Whether they are butchered early or not, they will die an unpleasant death soon. I'm sorry for you and her.

 

[donrae]

How old is this chick? Can you post a picture?

 

[SarahHalliday]

I know this was ages ago but I wanna know if the chick lived?