first cornish x and 4 died 2 weeks old! do I restrict feed?

[maf2008]

This is my first cornish x bathc if 26 and 4 died 2 weeks old! Do I need to restrict feed? I got 26 cornish cross from mcmurrays and they are the slower growing broiler.

I am feeding unrestricted feed a mix of flock raiser 16% scratch/corn and 30 % turkey starter..... (this equals aboit 20-22% protein with the mix)

They were breathing heavy last night and I gave them all treats (watermelon and tomatos and veggies...)

The other chicks are doing well and no problems. What causes 4 chicks to "drop dead" and no signs of snake, injury or disease...?

Please advise.. I do not want to lose anymore meat birds. Thanks

 

[Brunty_Farms]

If they are breathing heavy it could have been flip but most likely you would have seen them panting hard, and even a purplish head.

With their age only 2 weeks they would have to be fairly large birds to be having heart attacks. Usually the heart attacks start at about 4 weeks old.

However... they can just drop dead too. For no reason at all, sometimes this happens. If they continue to die then you have a probelm.

Early signs to look for are closed eyes and heavy body panting. This is not a heart attack but they are pre signs of one. They are stressed and working hard to circulate the oxygen through out their bodies. When this happens just take their feed away at night. I found that it works good to leave the lights on and let them still have access to water.

Godd luck.

 

[jaku]

Restrict feed- I don't think they need the snacks either, but that's just me.

 

[cassie]

According to the Welp Hatchery web page, you should start restricting the feed at one week of age.

 

[muell112]

I feed mine in the morning for about half hour before going to work and from about 5-8pm. They're probably 10-14 lbs now at 10 weeks. I have a friend that fed his all day and took feed away at night. Our coop isn't set up to separate them from the egg layers (same age) so I basically put one group outside while the other is inside (egg layers have access all day to food up high where the cornish Xs can't reach). They will get plenty big even with restricted food.

 

[farmin'chick]

Seems to me that 12 hours on feed, 12 hours off feed is important for crx's. If you want to check if it's a "too fat" problem, cut one that died open and examine it's heart.

 

[trueblueshowgirl]

We feed our Cornish X only what they can clean up in a few minutes. We do this twice daily. I found if I feed any more than that, a good protion of them will develop leg problems and require early culling or will die from congenital defects or heart attacks. I also don't care for the abundance of that yellow fat they develop on free-feed diets. Our Cornish X are a little smaller than the store bought birds, but I'm not out to have crippled birds with a terrible survival rate.

Also, feed is too expensive to waste in the conversion to chicken fat. We always add table scraps to help supplement- and they are tractored over fresh weeds.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have 6 Cornish that were given to me by a relative who had no idea what the guy at the feed store was selling him, so I acquired them by accident. I am raising the Cornish but not to butcher. I will raise them like my other chickens. I researched online and on this site in reference to how to raise them so they won't experience as many problems as they do, when they are raised to butcher. My research concluded that you should let them free range as often as possible so they can grass and bugs and try to limit their food. They free range for hours and hours. Their diet is the same the other chickens. I got mine when they were 8 weeks old. I have been having them about 5 months now, so they are 7 months old and they are a VERY nice size. I have not had any problems at all with the Cornish. They waddle a bit when they walk but their legs and feet are good. In Louisiana the temps are VERY high right now and i was afraid that I would lose them to the heat but they are surviving. I'm making sure they have plenty of shade and cool water. I give them healthy snacks like watermelon and other fruit. I feed them one time in the morning and the rest of the day, they free range.

Not sure what's going on with yours but I would limit their food. Are they able to free range at all? Sounds like yours don't need any snacks though. You may have a problem with that bunch of birds. If any more die, then yea, you have a problem.

 

[jaku]

farmin'chick :

Seems to me that 12 hours on feed, 12 hours off feed is important for crx's. If you want to check if it's a "too fat" problem, cut one that died open and examine it's heart.

Really? What will the difference be?​

 

[farmin'chick]

As I understand it, you will see the heart enlarged, or fatty deposits, or find clots... you will also see large quantities of fat if they are too fat.