Meat birds?

[123Hol]

I've been raising meat birds for 15 plus years, layers for same amount. This year we ordered from a different company, at 8 weeks we had to change our appointment with the butcher because they were tiny!
We booked for another 4 weeks hoping that would be enough time.
We took them in and the birds were roughly 1.5 to 3 pounds. Never in my 15 years of doing this have I had meat birds that small after 12 weeks.

I contacted the company to see if maybe they gave us the wrong birds, I asked the butcher if they were sick etc.
I did notice they weren't doing the typical lay around and eat process. They would fly around the barn try to run out the door when we went in which I thought was very weird.
The company said they were more then likely full of worms, according to them if meat birds have worms they fly and don't eat as much ( I highly doubt that)

Has anyone had this problem before, I now have a freezer of 40 birds that weigh 3 pounds and under!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum from Louisia, glad you joined.

From those ages it is obvious you thought they were Cornish Cross, sometimes called Cornish Rock. From their behaviors alone it is obvious those were not Cornish X, let alone their size. It has happened before to some people on here, you received the wrong breed. Which breed I don't know. At 12 weeks on a meat bird diet maybe White Rock maybe with the smalier ones being female.

The company said they were more then likely full of worms, according to them if meat birds have worms they fly and don't eat as much ( I highly doubt that)

That is a ridiculous response from that company. Totally ridiculous.

 

[Theorrin]

which company did you get them from?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Can you post any photos of them? Sounds like they weren't Cornish Cross, which is likely what you've been raising before, by your description of them (lying around, eating lots, no flying, butcher at 8 weeks).

You ordered from a different company this time. Did you contact them? I wonder if what you ordered was true "Cornish," and not the massive meat bird breeds of Cornish Rock, Cornish Cross, CornishX, Jumbo Cornish, or whatever each hatchery decides to name their particular cross of White Rock and Cornish chickens to produce that famous, meaty meat bird that you're familiar with.

1-3 lbs. processed is about right for most 'normal' breeds at 12 weeks.

Look at it this way: Whatever breed they were, at 12 weeks they will be so very tender and flavorful! You know those whole "cornish" hens you buy at the grocery store? Small, whole birds in the freezer section, somewhat bigger than a grapefruit? GREAT for roasting or split in half and barbequed, one bird is a meal for two.
Here's one great link:
https://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2012/08/09/roasted-cornish-hens/

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Adding to my comment above: I don't know about other hatcheries, but I always order my Jumbo Cornish Cross chicks from Cackle Hatchery. Always healthy, robust chicks and I've never had a single death from whatever issues this breed commonly suffers from. If I remember right, average weight after processing at 8-10 weeks was about 5-7 pounds per bird.
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/product/jumbo-cornish-cross/

 

[123Hol]

which company did you get them from?

We purchased them from Freys.

 

[123Hol]

I've been raising meat birds for 15 plus years, layers for same amount. This year we ordered from a different company, at 8 weeks we had to change our appointment with the butcher because they were tiny!
We booked for another 4 weeks hoping that would be enough time.
We took them in and the birds were roughly 1.5 to 3 pounds. Never in my 15 years of doing this have I had meat birds that small after 12 weeks.

I contacted the company to see if maybe they gave us the wrong birds, I asked the butcher if they were sick etc.
I did notice they weren't doing the typical lay around and eat process. They would fly around the barn try to run out the door when we went in which I thought was very weird.
The company said they were more then likely full of worms, according to them if meat birds have worms they fly and don't eat as much ( I highly doubt that)

Has anyone had this problem before, I now have a freezer of 40 birds that weigh 3 pounds and under!

The 300 Form says white rock meat mixed.
Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the birds.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

We purchased them from Freys.

The 300 Form says white rock meat mixed.

What is 300 Form?
I don't know what they sold you, but it doesn't seem like they're even the White Rocks, let alone Cornish X. The description on their website is confusing:

"Fast Growth – White Rock Cornish x​

"These extra heavy meat-type birds are bred for meat only. Their strength is in their efficient conversion of feed into meat. If purchased as non-sexed, the fighting of the males is reduced. Females will substitute well for capons. Cornish Game Hens are produced by growing females of this breed to 2 lbs. live weight (approximately 4-5 weeks). White Rocks are typically grown for 8-10 weeks, more or less if larger or smaller birds are desired."

So..... are they Cornish Game hens? Or White Rocks? Or a cross of the two?
From this chart also on their website, it seems you should have gotten a much higher yield of meat from these birds anyway:

By extrapolating ages and weights from this chart, at 12 weeks your birds should have been massive (females 11 lbs, males 14 lbs), and processed out (carcass without giblets) at 8.6 lbs females and 10.6 lbs males.

If I were you, I'd be contacting the hatchery and talk to them about your results. Something is wrong with the birds or breed that they sent to you.