Meat birds cant walk

[ChickenCanoe]

You can stick with a non-medicated starter for the entire time. You can add some grain the last couple weeks to lower the protein.

 

[blucoondawg]

I would cull as well even if you managed to keep them alive they probably wouldn't grow out too well

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Personally, I have never had luck giving any animal antibiotics without a culture... Ever. :/ As for meat birds, they come in as day old chicks from a fairly sterile facility so they're not likely to be carrying anything, and they stay in a brooder for a couple weeks anyhow. They do take biosecurity VERY seriously at those big hatcheries. (Some more than others, I've had great luck with Meyers.) So I usually don't fret too much.

Giving antiobiotics (even with probiotics) really lowers natural immune systems and they are prone to just about anything after that... Personally I feed Purina 20% Start'n'grow (which the equivalent of should be sold just about everywhere), which is medication free, their whole lives until butcher. I actually had one that I switched to 16% layer feed with the hens around 22 weeks and kept her around... She is going to be 2 years old this year. So they CAN be really healthy birds but they need some special care to make it happen, mostly being encouragement to move and forage.

 

[jstan]

Thanks everyone, its duramycin that gave. Checked on the few bad ones they are starting to move around. Not very well, but they are moving so maybe theyll be fine. If not ill cull them. I will def change feed to the 20% purina.

 

[sonofabish1]

I had one last year that had a leg problem around 5-6 weeks old and wouldn't move an inch. I nursed it by putting feed next to it on the ground (the other chickens ate most of it) and gave it it's own waterer. It got walked on by the other chickens, couldn't get in the coop when it rained, and just looked nasty. It survived until butchering at 8 weeks but wasn't worth much meat. Meat was small and fatty.

I will never nurse a sick/injured one again...too much work for very little return.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When I have meat birds (CornishX or freedom rangers) that go lame at 3+ weeks of age, that's when they get butchered. They won't gain much after that if they can't get to the feed, their quality of life is poor and they're already Cornish game hen size. I usually process a few at that age anyway.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I had one that decided to stick it's whole fool head and neck out of it's pen and peck my hunter husky on the nose. The husky responded by ripping a quarter of the skin off of it's chest, right below the crop. It was around 3-4 weeks old.

I quarantined it with the smallest other chick (because it would NOT settle down while it was alone), restricted feed (because it's crop was trying to come out of the gap in it's skin if it ate too much) and treated the wound with some iodine for three days. It grew to be the second biggest bird of the lot. Not once did it ever act like an injured, sick, lame bird. I've found CX to be some of the most surprisingly hardy animals I have ever owned.

I always make the choice to treat based on condition. An animal that's alert, awake, and is actively trying to eat and drink with a good appetite is usually worth the effort to give it a week and see if it improves. It helps to always quarantine away from rougher, bullying chickens. An animal that's lethargic, sleeping a lot, not responding to fresh food/water, or is getting worse... I remove after 24-48 hours. The chances of it getting better are slim to none.