First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[LindaB220]

Thank you MM! It is absolutely exhausting! I am really just trying to hold onto what will be soon.

Linda, I wish I could tell you that I have a ton of energy but I really don't. I am beat. I am in pain. I have a hurt left knee, two sore ankles, sore right hip and lower back is acting up. The good ole' fibromyalgia flare is working up for me again. I am crabby. I can't get comfy at night because of the pain so I am not sleeping. I am anxious. I have to constantly remind myself to take it one day at a time and really stay positive as I can because in the end, there will be success. No one reaches success without a ton of work, exhaustion, pain and stress.

Here are some pics from today:


Roosts in the chicken tractor!


Water barrels are secured.

We are so close!!

God love you. you're breaking my heart. Hold on, it's gonna be finished soon. Hopefully you can relax and not be in such pain. I have total faith that y'all made the right decision doing this. You went into it knowing that it would be hard. I don't think you realized how painful expansion can be. But hang in there, the results are going to be spectacular. hugs

 

[Dandelioness]

Holm -- How exciting!!  Can't wait for more pictures.

OK - I need some major help and would love for some advice.   I have two more of my CX doing poorly, just sitting around with limited to no appetite.  This morning they were fine, eating at the trough.  I went to give them their evening feeding and two didn't come to eat.  One, tried to come over but was having trouble walking.  I threw a little food to her and she took a couple of pecks, but then lost interest.  The other was hanging out under the bushes.  When I walked over, she got up and ran away from me.  But she didn't want any food and went back to sit under the shelter with her eyes closed.  They are 6 weeks old and are two of the smaller chickens.  I've already culled (and butchered) two, who I assumed where just suffering from weak hearts.  I haven't eat them yet, however. 

If they continue to do poorly tomorrow and won't eat, here are my questions:

1.  Should I cull them?  Has anyone had a "doing poorly" CX recover at 6 weeks?

2.  Should I eat them?  Everywhere I see people declare they would NEVER eat a sick animal, but I hate to simply throw them away, particularly is they are just suffering from weak hearts or weak legs.   

My thought was that if everything looked pink and healthy when we butchered it, it was probably just a weak chicken and OK to eat.  But I don't want to be stupid and put me and my family at risk.

Help!

I look at the insides before deciding whether I'll eat any cull - rooster, layer or meatball. Sometimes a particular meatie seems to be having problems (and is having leg issues or has a weak heart) but the rest of the insides are fine - no tumors, aspires, a nice liver, etc. Sometimes an old hen or rooster seems unproductive but otherwise fine and you open them up & they have those problems. And vice versa.

So if you decide to cull, just see if you're comfortable with it. I think if I didn't cull soon enough and it died and I found it lying there, I may not eat it. I would probably quarter it for the dogs & cats. But others may do things differently.

I would eat a weak animal, but not necessarily an I'll one - does that help a little?

Sorry about your birds. I haven't had to cull or cure any CXs past the half-chick stage. Maybe someone else has dealt with that part of your question.

 

[Dandelioness]

Chick number 1!!! Already think its a roo... Has BIG thick legs on it...

This is so cool!! I can't believe momma let you touch the chick already!

Looking forward to more on your hatch - congrats!

 

[holm25]

This is so cool!! I can't believe momma let you touch the chick already!

Looking forward to more on your hatch - congrats!

That banty is so sweet and kind.

 

[nj2wv]

Holm -- How exciting!!  Can't wait for more pictures.

OK - I need some major help and would love for some advice.   I have two more of my CX doing poorly, just sitting around with limited to no appetite.  This morning they were fine, eating at the trough.  I went to give them their evening feeding and two didn't come to eat.  One, tried to come over but was having trouble walking.  I threw a little food to her and she took a couple of pecks, but then lost interest.  The other was hanging out under the bushes.  When I walked over, she got up and ran away from me.  But she didn't want any food and went back to sit under the shelter with her eyes closed.  They are 6 weeks old and are two of the smaller chickens.  I've already culled (and butchered) two, who I assumed where just suffering from weak hearts.  I haven't eat them yet, however. 

If they continue to do poorly tomorrow and won't eat, here are my questions:

1.  Should I cull them?  Has anyone had a "doing poorly" CX recover at 6 weeks?

2.  Should I eat them?  Everywhere I see people declare they would NEVER eat a sick animal, but I hate to simply throw them away, particularly is they are just suffering from weak hearts or weak legs.   

My thought was that if everything looked pink and healthy when we butchered it, it was probably just a weak chicken and OK to eat.  But I don't want to be stupid and put me and my family at risk.

Help!

I have used blue seal medicated turkey feed on chicks that seem ill. It seems to work for me and you need to make sure they have plenty of water. Do not eat the eggs or meat of the chicken being treated for five days. Highly poisonous to other animals like dogs etc. this is an unorthodox treatment that I over heard and tried. I can not guarantee good results. I only fed them that for about two days. They had droopy wings and no appetite and the next day were normal. A couple did still die but the rest turned around.

 

[duluthralphie]

Morrigan, I would start to process birds that are falling behind. I would inspect the innards and if they look ok, or if you see signs of ascites I would eat them. If I found ill smells or tumors I would not. At 6 weeks the chances of a CX becoming "well" again is slim in my mind. With my first batch I lost some at about 6 weeks and processed them all. I did not want to have them dying on me. I would not eat one that died. Just because of the guts and it not bleeding properly.


Just remember what you did this time and make changes for the next time. Raising CXs to 10 pounds or more is a learning experience and goes against what most "chicken people" tell you to do with them. At 6 weeks your still going to have some nice birds to eat.

It is probably just me but I thought when a few started going that fast, the likely hood of them all going was too great to risk it.




And Speaking of CX's, this is most likely Bert's last day on earth. His foot looks better, but he seems to have a respiratory problems now. As I said the chances of an older CX recovering is slim. We tried, nothing more we can do. He did give us a chuckle this morning though as he woke us at 6am with s series of LOUD crows. I hate when a bird gets through the emotional walls and become a pet like he has. If he dies, he will die in the house now.

 

[Morrigan]

Dandelioness and Ralphie -- that makes sense. I won't let them linger, and will be very careful that everything looks OK when I butcher. I'm using CX from a different hatchery this year and I think this particular variety are faster growing than what I had last year. Also, it's been much warmer (80+ degrees), which has made them less active and put some additional stress on them. Last year, it was cool and rainy as the CX were going through weeks 5 to 9, and I think that really helped keep them active.

And, Ralphie, I'm so, so sorry to hear about Bert not breathing well. You are an excellent chicken dad and I hope he manages somehow to pull through.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Morrigan: I would also probably cull at this later age any that seem listless. I lost some at a later age like this that seemed fine early in the day to find them not so well or gone later. I don't really think they are sick. I think their organs just fail or work at reduced capacity sometimes. I would also feel comfortable eating if I didn't see anything wrong during evisceration. I haven't ever eaten a bird that I found dead though, mostly because I really didn't know when it happened.

Holm: Yay! What fun!

Ralph: No! Give Bert some Robitussin or something!! It heals all respiratory problems, doesn't it? Or was that just a joke in a comedy show I saw? Sunny started an exercise program so she looked fabulous for the trip to visit!!

Linda: Oh thanks. I am a tough cookie though and not much holds me back no matter how tired, sore and miserable that I am. However I do admit, that every now again I do need a little sympathy. I will happily be deliver 192 dozen eggs tomorrow. It's a good week, no matter what small stuff I'm dealing with!

 

[Turkeytruff]

Morrigan, I would start to process birds that are falling behind. I would inspect the innards and if they look ok, or if you see signs of ascites I would eat them. If I found ill smells or tumors I would not. At 6 weeks the chances of a CX becoming "well" again is slim in my mind. With my first batch I lost some at about 6 weeks and processed them all. I did not want to have them dying on me. I would not eat one that died. Just because of the guts and it not bleeding properly.


Just remember what you did this time and make changes for the next time. Raising CXs to 10 pounds or more is a learning experience and goes against what most "chicken people" tell you to do with them. At 6 weeks your still going to have some nice birds to eat.

It is probably just me but I thought when a few started going that fast, the likely hood of them all going was too great to risk it.




And Speaking of CX's, this is most likely Bert's last day on earth. His foot looks better, but he seems to have a respiratory problems now. As I said the chances of an older CX recovering is slim. We tried, nothing more we can do. He did give us a chuckle this morning though as he woke us at 6am with s series of LOUD crows. I hate when a bird gets through the emotional walls and become a pet like he has. If he dies, he will die in the house now.

oh no! Bert has become such a great rooster for us on this thread. I'm sorry - and glad that you and your DW have taken such good care of him, although I know it is painful when they become a pet.

Morrigan: I would also probably cull at this later age any that seem listless. I lost some at a later age like this that seemed fine early in the day to find them not so well or gone later. I don't really think they are sick. I think their organs just fail or work at reduced capacity sometimes. I would also feel comfortable eating if I didn't see anything wrong during evisceration. I haven't ever eaten a bird that I found dead though, mostly because I really didn't know when it happened.

Holm: Yay! What fun!

Ralph: No! Give Bert some Robitussin or something!! It heals all respiratory problems, doesn't it? Or was that just a joke in a comedy show I saw? Sunny started an exercise program so she looked fabulous for the trip to visit!!

Linda: Oh thanks. I am a tough cookie though and not much holds me back no matter how tired, sore and miserable that I am. However I do admit, that every now again I do need a little sympathy. I will happily be deliver 192 dozen eggs tomorrow. It's a good week, no matter what small stuff I'm dealing with!

Jessica you are amazing and I am glad you feel that you can let rip some times. Of course you get tired and in pain; you're human like the rest of us, even if you do have that t shirt with the big 'S' on it in your closet.... I feel for you and hope you get the support you need to get you through to that day when they are 'only' a short distance away and you can relax a little bit!
192 dozen - sheesh! I just washed and packed up 12 dozen for the local community store and that takes me long enough. You're amazing....

Holm, how wonderful! I also have some little chipmunk EE chicks that have just hatched. 6 are now under a broody who looks a lot like yours LOL. Aren't they awesome little mothers??? 5 more are sitting in a little box in the dining room. I just moved 20 chicks out to the barn at last, and have another 8 Mistral Gris 2 weekers in another box inside at night. Roll on summer I say.

 

[holm25]

TT those broodies r amazing. We had 3 broodies this spring but they never hatched anything one got to day 20 and all the eggs got broke... And the other brakoe when I tried to move her.

OK I need help!! My only little black chick isn't doing well. It had a bit of unabsorbed yoke sack. What can I do for the little guy?? Do they usually make it or not?? If I am feather sexing right there is 3 girls 2 boys. And 1 egg died...