Meat birds dying at 7 weeks

[mjv413]

Hey community! Hoping for some help. We're in the home stretch , birds are 7 weeks today and we're processing at 8.5 weeks. We lost one yesterday, today we lost another and probably one more will pass.

The one I found this morning was conscious but immobile. Comb was pale, feathers fluffed, lethargic. huge crop, perhaps a bit listless. I put it down and did an autopsy, lots of food in the crop, healthy liver .

The other one we let be but I don't think it's too far behind.

We're doing 18% poultry finisher twice a day.

Thoughts? Weve got customers on the line so trying to limit further losses.

 

[mjv413]

The breed is Cornish cross btw!

 

[Molpet]

Not unusual to lose 10%... they have heart issues too, how did the heart look?

 

[Molpet]

Somewhere there's info on what intestines look like for coccidiosis,

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Honestly it's not too unusual to lose some. We butchered ours at 8 weeks but I almost wish we would have just done 7 weeks because that's when I noticed them looking less active and more like blobs. Mine were healthy and didn't die, but I feel like at that point their activity level dropped down and their weight gains were slowing. If you have the time and you're happy with their current weights, you may just want to slaughter sooner.

Of course, make sure you are checking the usual stuff though. Leg issues, heart issues, coccidiosis, worms. Are you doing a 12 hour on 12 hour off feeding schedule? If not, might want to start doing that.

 

[Perris]

you might find the papers in this thread answer your questions
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/modern-broiler-stock.1556226/

 

[Mosey2003]

I'd keep a close eye on them and just start butchering all the lethargic ones now. It's more likely to just be individual weakness vs a disease sweeping through.