My meat birds are dieing

[countrybum]

I had 5 cornish cross, but am down to 4, Thank you coyote. Mine are going on 4 months old and seem to be doing well.

I add the aspirin (raroo info and good info) every other day to the water and I am feeding 18% laying mash. They eat a 9:30am and again at 6pm, plus they free range through out the day. To keep legs strong, form day one they had to walk back and forth for water and still do. With Cornish cross, I have learned, never keep the water and food next to each other, or they will just scoot to eat and drink.

Good luck with the rest of them.

 

[steveo]

The rest of my chickens are still alive but this morning when I checked on them, I found one that has his wing stuck out all the time. I do not know what happened and not sure if it is broke or not. These birds just love to pile up on each other and when I give them food they are like pirranah. I am not sure what to do with the bird with the messed up wing. The bird eats and drinks and does not appear to be in pain. I suppose I could cull him but not sure if I should just wait. He is probably around four pounds right now. What would you do?

 

[countrybum]

Did you buy them to eat? If so, 4 pounds is a good size. I am hoping to get a few eggs from mine before adding them to my freezer, experiment to see what I get.

 

[raroo]

Robin'sBrood :

I have 4 Cornish Rocks that are 8 weeks old today. I'm not raising them for meat and hope to keep them alive for at least 6 months

so I started them 15% grower/finisher at 3 weeks and started restricting the amount they're fed as well. They're all healthy, strong and BIG. But their legs seem sturdy and they still run and even try to fly once in a while.

So glad your babies are still doing well!

My girls are 6 and a half months and still going strong and laying eggs, in fact they're the leanest they've been yet and Greta can fly over the four foot wall of their pen.

CountryBum are you going to hatch the eggs? I'm very curious to see what kind of chicks they produce. If they are 4 months old and fit you should start seeing eggs in about two to four weeks!

 

[countrybum]

That was my intention. The Rooster was taken by the coyotes so if the eggs are fertile, it will be from my Cherry Egger, due to the fact he is the only one their size. These little meat birds are the size of a normal chicken, but they are 4 months and counting and I was told they do not make 4 months often, so with your aspirin idea and exercise I think they may be all right..

 

[raroo]

Sounds like they are doing great, I hope you get some babies from them!

 

[Chick_a_dee]

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How did you house them, I'm keeping ours in the garage too because of the cold and predator problems we have.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

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So glad your babies are still doing well!

My girls are 6 and a half months and still going strong and laying eggs, in fact they're the leanest they've been yet and Greta can fly over the four foot wall of their pen.

WOW, way to go, Greta! I'm so glad yours are doing so well.

New pics of mine here https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=153867&p=9

 

[countrybum]

Raroo, mine are in the process of hitting 6 months and the too are not to heavy for their legs (at least yet). I restrict their food to 2xs a day and the water they have to walk to, it is not close enough for a scoot, as they were doing in the beginning when I had the water closer to the feed bowl. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some fertile eggs from them, cannot wait to see what the cross produces. Excitement rises as I think I will need to do a couple more batches of eggs in the bator. Only one more batch and one more and one more.

 

[jossanne]

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I just found my first one dead of "natural causes," and it was my smallest bird. My Cornish X are 8 weeks, and we are going to butcher tomorrow. I went out to check on them, and all were eating except the small pullet. She was laying behind the water can, still warm, and when I picked her up by her feet, water ran out of her mouth.

I keep them in a little building that was originally a playhouse for children. They've got a dirt floor, with 12 on/12 off 27% turkey feed. They get no time outside of the playhouse because a few weeks ago we lost two to our barn cats.

So I'm wondering what killed my bird too. I'll be watching this post, hoping for an answer.