Looks like my rescue chicks are...

[fried green eggs]

I'm no expert but - It will help if you only let these meat birds, have feed in with them for 12 hours a day. I put feed in with mine in the evening and took it out in the morning last year, when we got a few meat birds. They ate, slept and ate more before i took it out in the morning. I limited how much I gave them so, they didn't gain quit as fast. I let mine free range during the day - not advised if you wanted them big for meat and I understood they could break legs but, my meat birds loved to pick at the grass and bugs. They still came running (ok, so it looked more like fast waddling with a little running with flapping wings) to the pen in evening when they saw me coming with feed. I let ours go to 13 1/2 weeks and they where the size of small turkeys but, they had a good quality of life so, I felt ok about butchering. None of mine had any health problems but, i might have just been lucky.
It sounds like you have gotten attached and are building a nice little set-up for chickens. You could get a few layers (pullets) at TSC or some place and have some chickens you can enjoy for years - not a few months and they could have feed infront of them all the time and be ok.
Good Luck.

 

[Judy]

That ammonia that was so strong at your job was no doubt because the coop was not ventilated. All chickens' poop contains ammonia and moisture, and their coops need to be ventilated at the top, with a large enough hole that the ammonia and moisture can escape. Ammonia is harmful to their (and your) lungs, and the humidity in cold weather will cause frostbite (which is caused much more by humidity than cold.) Here is an excellent article about ventilation:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

I'm glad someone found you a thread about keeping meat chickens alive. Several people here have kept them alive for several years. Their genetics are not in your favor, but they can certainly live longer than a few weeks if you manage them well, be sure they get some exercise and don't overeat.

 

[00 Turok]

@ fried green eggs... Yeah I kind of did get attatched, mostly because the 2 survivors where the ones that rushed toward me & tried to fly at my face when I 1st found them; practically begging me to help them. My Cat Gizmo is entertained by them too, but he is another story... a whole other story

If anything this whole experience got me interested in chickens so I may look into getting some NON meat breed chicks after these 2 pass on.

@ ragerkid2... I'll post some pics like you suggest.

@ dragonmorgan... It's funny that you posted that link, because I had just discovered this post by... kuntrygirl ... just before you linked the thread to me.

I'll try to do what she did & ask her for advice. I'll let you know how it all works out too. If they start to decay & suffer I'll put them down.

@ all... thanks for your help.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Agreed, I limit how much my meat birds eat. I only give about a cup at a time and once it's gone they have to wait till the next feeding. I do allow unlimited water in 3 different spots in the run (I have read horror stories of how the birds were so lazy they didn't even get up to get a drink of water and died). I let mine "free" range and I have attempted to feed treats, but they don't seem to understand what to do with them.

 

[00 Turok]

@ fried green eggs... U suggested I PM... kunrtygirl... in that other thread

What is PM?

 

[dragonmorgan]

private message

 

[fried green eggs]

On the other post if you put your cursor over her name you will get drop down menu and can send her a private message from there. I got attached to my meaties too but, I knew I bought meat birds. I felt they deserved a good quality of life before their end. I think sometimes certain animals come into our lives for a reason. I'm glad you are thinking about getting other chickens down the road - this is a great site with lots of knowledgeable folks. Take Care and Good Luck extending your chicks life, which you already have