amdouglas3
Hatching
I just started my first flock 5 1/2 weeks ago with 14 laying hens of various breeds and 8 cornish hens. All were tiny baby chicks when I first got them, and I have enjoyed watching them grow. I found this wonderful website when one of the chicks nearly died (she was the smallest of the flock and it seems she just wasn't strong enough to get to the food and water). Thanks to the advice on this website, I was able to nurse her back to health and she is doing great!!
Unfortunately, the egg layers have teamed up on the cornish hens and have been vent pecking. We had to cull our two biggest cornish hens because the injuries were so bad (luckily we noticed them within a few hours and were able to put them out of their misery before infection set in, so we had those two for dinner. sad but yummy). About a week later, I went to put the chickens up at dusk (they range in their 5x20ft coop all day) and another of the cornish hens was dead from vent pecking (we did not attempt to eat this one because we weren't sure how long she had been dead). This morning when I went to let them out, another cornish hen was a victim of vent pecking. She is alert and drinking well, but she is fairly bloody-there seems to be a hole near her vent, but no intestines hanging out like there were with the first two. I have her separated right now while I try to decide what to do with her. Should we go ahead and cull her for dinner, or try to let her heal in hopes that she will grow for a few more weeks? She is only about 6 weeks old. There are 4 more cornish hens in the flock that are about 4 weeks old. I am going to separate the remaining four from the flock tomorrow. I love to hang out in the coop and give everyone treats, but I have never noticed any bullying (clearly it is happening, just not when I am around). I find it odd that it is only the cornish hens that are getting picked on. Maybe because they are so much bigger and slower than the others?
Anyway, I am happy to be a part of this community. I have learned so much already from all the forums and posts. The past 5 weeks have been so much fun (except for the vent pecking, of course), and I look forward to having fresh eggs in the fall!
Unfortunately, the egg layers have teamed up on the cornish hens and have been vent pecking. We had to cull our two biggest cornish hens because the injuries were so bad (luckily we noticed them within a few hours and were able to put them out of their misery before infection set in, so we had those two for dinner. sad but yummy). About a week later, I went to put the chickens up at dusk (they range in their 5x20ft coop all day) and another of the cornish hens was dead from vent pecking (we did not attempt to eat this one because we weren't sure how long she had been dead). This morning when I went to let them out, another cornish hen was a victim of vent pecking. She is alert and drinking well, but she is fairly bloody-there seems to be a hole near her vent, but no intestines hanging out like there were with the first two. I have her separated right now while I try to decide what to do with her. Should we go ahead and cull her for dinner, or try to let her heal in hopes that she will grow for a few more weeks? She is only about 6 weeks old. There are 4 more cornish hens in the flock that are about 4 weeks old. I am going to separate the remaining four from the flock tomorrow. I love to hang out in the coop and give everyone treats, but I have never noticed any bullying (clearly it is happening, just not when I am around). I find it odd that it is only the cornish hens that are getting picked on. Maybe because they are so much bigger and slower than the others?
Anyway, I am happy to be a part of this community. I have learned so much already from all the forums and posts. The past 5 weeks have been so much fun (except for the vent pecking, of course), and I look forward to having fresh eggs in the fall!
and Welcome To BYC! sorry about your cornish, good luck with the rest of the flock!
