new chick mom...2 wk old Cornish Rocks bare chested

[areyoumymother]

I am new at this and nervous !! I have 5 Cornish Rocks, 2 Hampshire reds and 1 Leghorn. The Cornish Rocks are twice the size of the other 3 and the baby fuzz on the chest and bellies is almost gone exposing bare skin. Is this normal ? The other 3 still have their baby fuzz.

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Yep, totally normal!
Cornish crosses are meat birds, so they grow MUCH faster than the laying breeds. They get their bare chests from lying in front of the feeder all day.

 

[yotetrapper]

Yeah, and I think it's partially genetic. Less feathers to pluck.

I am hoping you are intending to eat these, as, they are not meant to live long.

 

[areyoumymother]

THANK YOU backyardmenagerie ! I have noticed they do seem to monopolize the feeder

Yotetrapper: I had not intended them for meat but more for eggs. I have had my coop for a couple of months now and have been talking incessantly at work about chicken this and chicken that ...finally one of the girls asked me ....well, when are you gonna get your chickens? And honestly I had apprehensively been putting it off, so she went on her lunch to a local feed store and brought back to the office 8 squawking chicks in a box, I was then committed

But, so far so good it has been 2 weeks now and all 8 have survived

 

[19hhbelgian]

Quote:
You re going to need to delegate the Cornish rocks so you can regulate their feed intake. Those little buggers will eat incessantly. I know people that have kept meat birds by regulating their food intake, thus keeping them from becoming too heavy for their bodies. If you don't regulate, they will get so heavy their bodies will start to shut down because they just can't handle the weight. Good luck!

 

[areyoumymother]

So are the Cornish Rock not good egg layers ?

 

[19hhbelgian]

You should get eggs, but they aren't going to be egg machines like your NHR's or the leghorn. Try posting something in the meat bird section for advice or maybe even under raising chicks. Ask specifically for advice on the Cornish. A lot of people will tell you to butcher, but if you're like me, I'd give them the best life I could til it's their time, then I would do the right thing for the bird whether it was a hard decision for me or not. Either that or you could resell them now and get another few true egg layers. Depends on you, and what you want to do.

 

[Celtic Chick]

No. They are raised to be meat birds. Sorry.

From Tractor Supply's website:
Cornish are stocky meat birds from the Southwest corner of England with short, close-fitting feathers. Much of the chicken meat bought in modern supermarkets comes from hybrid birds that have Cornish influence in their breeding. Cornish can be active foragers but are poor egg layers. They tolerate confinement well but can be free ranged.

More chicken info from Tractor Supply:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/conten.../livestock_care_raising_poultry_expert_advice

 

[areyoumymother]

Quote:
Perfect, Thanks so much ! I can tell this is going to be an invaluable tool for my new chicken venture

 

[backyardmenagerie]

Quote:
Perfect, Thanks so much ! I can tell this is going to be an invaluable tool for my new chicken venture

I personally would not keep Cornish crosses for eggs... you may get an egg or two a week, but the chicken could die spontaneously at any time, have a heart attack, or not be able to walk because their legs simply do not support their weight. And you could end up with roosters in there as well, and obviously they're not worth keeping around for eggs. Cornish crosses are not intended for egg production, and I don't think it's fair for them to be kept longer than they were bred for.
On the other hand, they make EXCELLENT meat birds, and in a few weeks they'll be ready to butcher. They get ugly really quickly, so it's easy to detach from them, and it will be a healthy meat that you know was well raised. If you feel you absolutely cannot handle it, I would suggest re-homing them to someone who can.
You might try doing some research on Cornish cross, as well as other breeds... I think it would be great if you raise some meat for yourself, AND are able to find a breed of laying chicken that appeals to you. Look at this as a blessing in disguise - you'll now be able to get the breeds YOU want, and have some tasty, healthy meat.