Leghorn chicks - Is this normal?

[SouthernLady]

My husband came home with a half dozen baby chicks from the feed store a couple of weeks ago. We've had chickens for several years but not familiar with leghorns (which 3 of the chicks are). They've grown extremely fast in the past couple of weeks and have huge feet and legs. One of them more so than the others. Is this normal? Hubby thinks something is wrong with them. I think they are just fast growers. I've googled the breed and can't really find any information as to common characteristics of the chicks. Thanks so much!

 

[Baymen Moe]

I'd double check to make sure they are Leghorns. My neighbor has them and I'd never consider them large at any stage. although rapid growth is not unusual. Considering you got them from a feed store I would not be surprised if there was a mix up and you got meat birds. Hope it all works out.

 

[featherz]

Yah my leghorns all stayed scrawny.. it's a year later, still scrawny. I am thinking you may have gotten cornish X (meat birds).

 

[WalkerH]

Yeah you may have gotten cornish X. I know at like a week you could tell the size difference in ours.

 

[stellacat]

I agree with everyone else... can you post pics?

 

[SouthernLady]

Here's a pic of the babies. The two larger ones in the foreground are supposed to be leghorns.

 

[fshinggrl]

Uh.. yeah. You got cornishx.. meat birds. I don't know when, but you can't feed them at night or they will get too big.

 

[gocrow77]

sound like meaties to me too.

 

[SouthernLady]

Aw, man! Well we don't eat our chickens. Guess they'll just be pets.

 

[punky rooster]

Meat birds are just that, meat birds. They don't usually make great pets either, they can get too heavy and can't support their own weight, leading to death.