First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JessicaThistle]

Jessica-
How is she today?
Sounds like what happened to my silkie hen Bonnie. She was lethargic one day, couldn't stand then next, couldn't eat or drink on her own the next. She would perk up and seem better, then back to bad. We culled her.
I also posted in emergencies and everyone said I had Mareks in my flock. No, I don't.
I don't know what it was, but putting her out of her misery was the right thing to do. She was not laying while she was sick though.
I would maybe give her another day or two, see what is up. Then make the call to cull or not.
Anyone else doing this now too?
Wish I had better advice!!!

If I didn't have a soccer tournament to go to, I would pour myself a stiff cran vodka for you. I will have to wait until later tonight.

Sorry it took so long to respond. As if life wasn't crazy enough, we are back to racing season again and have back to back races. This is after moving our 301 pullets out to the back pasture on Thursday night, taking 4 1/2 hours and not getting into the house until 10:30. We had both worked a full day before this craziness. I am so sore and exhausted. I tried to talk him out of racing tonight but he really wanted to, so off to the races we went.

So onto Sweet Pea's status: She is still alert, red combed and laid an egg yesterday. She is not lethargic at all. Every time that I go in to check on her, she is wide awake, talking about it, pecking at flies. She is never in the same place that I left her. She ate voraciously when I tossed her crumble into her vitamin water today.

I found she likes it when I lay her on her side. She stretches out both legs and feet. Tonight when I tucked her in, she moved her legs a whole bunch almost like she was walking on air. I think she was just getting a really good stretch. I keep trying to stand her up and she really tried even spreading her wings for balance. She could sort of stand leaning way forward with her wings out but not for long. I will keep trying this for another day or two to see if I can get some strength building again. I may have to rig up a sling to get her in the upright position. I saw another person use a pair of mens underwear to do it. Genius! Kinda like some chicken physical therapy. I am dosing her up with liquid B vitamins too.

I feel like her partial stand today may have been an improvement and I just don't want to give up on her just yet. This would be so much easier if she had a crooked neck, was sleeping every time I checked on her and I had to give her water with a syringe like the last hen that was in my hospital. Ugh...cran and vodka on ice it is!!

 

[omilona]

A question, I ordered a few bantie cochins from a hatchery and they accidentally shippped me one broiler/meat bird. It's 3 weeks old and is so huge it spends 90% of it's time lying down (not even close to feathered in yet). Is this normal? I had heard that these birds must be culled by about 6 months as they begin to be too heavy to be able to walk around. Is this true? My chickens generally die from old age, unless one is a homocidal maniac or something. Then Manuel the gardener has a lovely chicken dinner.

 

[JessicaThistle]

A question, I ordered a few bantie cochins from a hatchery and they accidentally shippped me one broiler/meat bird. It's 3 weeks old and is so huge it spends 90% of it's time lying down (not even close to feathered in yet). Is this normal? I had heard that these birds must be culled by about 6 months as they begin to be too heavy to be able to walk around. Is this true? My chickens generally die from old age, unless one is a homocidal maniac or something. Then Manuel the gardener has a lovely chicken dinner.

Yes, it is normal that meatie is laying down alot and not feathered well. They weren't bred for feathering in. You were told incorrectly that they must be culled by 6 months. Majority of meat birds are culled at 6-8 WEEKS old.

Now, it is possible to raise as a pet for longer but you must free range and severely restrict food so that they don't grow too fast. There is 4 of us on this thread that have nearly one year old meat birds. It is not possible if you over feed or allow them to not work for food. My meat hen only gets fed once per day a small amount. The rest of the time she is wandering around munching on grass and whatever she can find or relaxing in a shady spot.

Raising a meat bird as a pet is not for the feint of heart. They are huge and nothing like your layers. The health risks are real. Each day you expect to lose them because they just weren't meant for living a long life.

 

[Morrigan]

Welp, tomorrow is the day for processing the 6 remaining meaties. They will be almost 12 weeks old, so they had a long life as far as meat birds go. It's been fun to watch how much normal chicken behavior they engage in when given ample space and not over-fed. The rooster has started guarding the 5 hens. They dust-bathe. They forage. They are fully feathered in, and really quite nice looking birds. Even their meal times are less frantic. I'm going to miss them.

 

[Morrigan]

It's done. All the meaties have been processed. At just shy of 12 weeks, the 5 hens weighed between 6 1/2 ands 7 pounds and the rooster was almost 9 lbs. I really liked waiting until they were older this year and getting such big birds. I've got some meyer lemons and mint to go with my vodka martini tonight.

I also managed to break one of my broody's eggs, thus killing the chick inside, while cleaning out a broken rotten egg from her nest. The egg had gotten stuck to her from the egg-goo, and it fell and broke when I was helping her back onto the nest. It's odd, I just butchered 6 chickens, but that little tiny unborn chick just killed me. I'm so mad at myself for not being more careful in checking her over before lifting her.

 

[JessicaThistle]

It's done. All the meaties have been processed. At just shy of 12 weeks, the 5 hens weighed between 6 1/2 ands 7 pounds and the rooster was almost 9 lbs. I really liked waiting until they were older this year and getting such big birds. I've got some meyer lemons and mint to got with my vodka martini tonight.

I also managed to break one of my broody's eggs, thus killing the chick inside, while cleaning out a broken rotten egg from her nest. The egg had gotten stuck to her from the egg-goo, and it fell and broke when I was helping her back onto the nest. It's odd, I just butchered 6 chickens, but that little tiny unborn chick just killed me. I'm so mad at myself for not be more careful to check her carefully over before lifting her.

Sounds like you have some super chicken dinners ahead!

Sorry about your chick.

 

[JRNash]

There will be losses. Always look at it from a learning perspective, great job with the meatballs

 

[Red Nugget]

I think I will let mine get bigger. Now they are about 3 1/2 lbs. I would like to see how big they get by summers end. My family hasn't quit come around yet. And they are all still healthy. So it shouldn't hurt to let them live a little longer. They have feathered in quit nicely and I only feed them in the morning and just be for dark when I'm putting them up. The rest of the day they forage for whatever goodys they can find. They stay very active. I will keep you all up to date on their growth and health along the way. I want to get some egg layers throw. What would be a good hatchery? I don't want to go back to the TSC.

 

[JRNash]

All of my birds will be free ranging on an acre and a half until the roosters start showing. That's when I will have my first culling and seperate housingso i can control the breeding. Ive had excellent results with Ideal Poultry. Im trying Macmurray this time. I will post the results when they arrive in July

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi all

Sorry been busy and not able to easily go online.

Grats on camp day. You will love that 9 pounder!

I hope to get some cxs when I get home, I am going for 13s again. DW says Bert is doing good. We are hatching toads still.


DW sent me this picture from yesterdays hatch..... MM eat your heart out,,