Lathargic Cornish

[aclee]

I have 39 cornish and one unknown. When I refill the feed bowl or water dish, they always run right over. Now one is acting really lethargic. Will get up when I make it, but just walks over to another corner and lays down and shuts it's eyes and sit there breathing kind of hard. I have it in the house now, and I did get some water into it, and TINY TINY bit of food. I put the electro light mix, a little apple cider vinegar and a little sugar in the water. Seemed to pick up a little, but not much. Is now laying in the house curled in the corner with it's eyes closed. Let's me hold it with out struggling, jut curls up in my hand, might peep a little, but not much. No pasty butt or other outward signs of distress.

Any ideas?

 

[aclee]

Update to add that it did one small poop that is a little whitish and brown...quite loose since it's been inside.

 

[hinkjc]

Are these regular cornish or cornish cross meat birds? This is pretty typical behavior of meat bird cornish crosses that are fast growing and run into heart/respiratory issues.

 

[cassie]

Process the bird ASAP. He's fixing to croak. Around here, if I find one of those birds having trouble walking, with a purplish comb, or reluctant to move, I go in the house and put a LARGE pot of water on the stove. Then I go out and dispatch the bird. When I get back to the house the water is hot enough for scalding. I put the water in a five gallon bucket with a dollop of dishwashing soap and take it outside so I can scald and pluck the bird on the picnic table. I have learned the hard way that when a Cornish X seems a little off, the next thing it is going to do is keel over. Since I prefer to put the bird in the freezer than the dumpster, I kill it before it can die on its own. It was hard at first, but it has gotten a lot easier with time.