Fat Little Chick

[emmanoz]

I need some advice please, I have 5 chicks, 1 Rhode Island which I hatched and 4 others which I got from a local poultry farm to keep her company! One of these is enormous!! He is easily 3 times the size of the others and gets worn out if he walks too far...he would much prefer to lay by his food bowl!! He is also getting a dirty tum because he isn't cleaning himself. What should I do with him?....Diet?!!!! I'm so worried about him!

 

[ArticStrat]

Chubby little chick. Are the legs splayed due to the weight? Hard to tell from the pix.

 

[Busybee1]

Omg I have a chick just like that!! I thought it was bloated or sick. It does the same thing, lays down a lot.

 

[Busybee1]

Someone said it was a Cornish X which is a meat bird. Look at my threat titled Does this chick look sick, is it bloated?

 

[frenchiegirl21]

Sorry to be the first to say this, but it sounds like this chick is a Cornish X meat bird. They eat all the time, get fat, and don't move very much. They eat a lot so they can grow super fast and reach full-size by 8-12 weeks. They don't lay eggs and are typically sterile (aka they cannot reproduce). I would say do your best to raise him but try and find a replacement chick for laying or roostering purposes.

 

[emmanoz]

His legs aren't splayed and when he is on his feet he moves well, he just doesn't choose to stand up very often and he gets worn out very quickly! I'm worried because he came from a meat farm and I know they are bread to be heavy......his legs are huge as well though! He's only 2 and a half weeks!!

 

[emmanoz]

Quote: That sounds about right...I'm not too worried about roostering or laying, these guys were for company for our first hatchling...the only one to hatch...I just want to give the little guy the best quality of life that I can, should I be restricting his food intake or feeding him something different?

 

[frenchiegirl21]

You can restrict feed, but honestly these chickens are only meant to live 8 weeks or so. You can put it on a diet and give it a good quality life, but it will eventually become too large to move and will have to be put down. If it doesn't upset you he can be processed for fresh meat, but he will not live very long as a pet. Sorry!

 

[BarredRockGirls]

being a meat bird ... hes supposed to get big and FAST . (he just wont move fast ) thats all meat birds do pretty much is eat .. the best life i think u could give him is letting him do what he wants . If your going to keep him . i'd feed him as much as he wants - why starve him ? thats unfair . it is what it is . hes a meat bird . like another poster said hell eventually have to be put down . im sorry

 

[emmanoz]

Thanks for the responses everyone, a quick update on Buzz, I have given them some toys to keep them active and placed the food where they have to stand to eat it. The others are staying nice and active and Buzz is improving, he's moving around more and showing an interest in things other than food. Not sure what the long term holds for him but he seems happier for now!!