Pecking

[Azreedfamily]

Hello, I hope someone can give me some advice. I recently got my first birds and shortly thereafter ordered some meat birds(Cornish x). I went out to feed, water, and move them this morning and two of them are pecked BADLY. There are pretty severe wounds, one in the vent. I want to euthanize them, but my question is, they are 5 weeks old, should I butcher them early and small and eat them? I hat the idea of raising them for five weeks only to end up in the compost pile. TIA

 

[Robin37]

If I understand correctly you put the Cornish in the same pen with chickens that you already had. If this is the case, the problem is that we cannot put strange chickens into the same pen together so easily. And sometimes not at all.

 

[Robin37]

Welcome to BYC. : )

 

[Hamiam]

Hello, I hope someone can give me some advice. I recently got my first birds and shortly thereafter ordered some meat birds(Cornish x). I went out to feed, water, and move them this morning and two of them are pecked BADLY. There are pretty severe wounds, one in the vent. I want to euthanize them, but my question is, they are 5 weeks old, should I butcher them early and small and eat them? I hat the idea of raising them for five weeks only to end up in the compost pile. TIA

I'm like you, I hate waste. I say butcher them. You won't get much meat but they will flavor up a stock pot for soup.
Just don't let them suffer.

 

[Azreedfamily]

Thanks for the replies. No, they weren't on the same pen. All same age meat birds together in a separate pen. In a panic I probably gave more info than necessary. Think they'll survive the plucker or should I hand pluck them? I'm worried it'll shred the skin off when it takes the feathers.

 

[Hamiam]

I've never used a plucker. I'd love to have one someday. Seems like hand plucking maybe best.

 

[Fat Daddy]

If these are Cornish cross they would easily be a game hen size bird at this point if you choose to butcher them now.... I love them spatchcocked, then grilled, single serving birds. But unless the wound is very deep, it's likely the birds could be saved with blu-kote and separation. If you do butcher them I'd do it quickly before any infection has a chance to set in.... I use a plucker for young birds too... but mine are heritage Cornish and slower growing than Cornish cross, usually 10 weeks old for game hen size birds...

 

[Duaut]

Then it's done.totally typical of 35 day old cornish cross roos, I have 7 in a batch of 100 who battled it out for "king of the mountain"about the same time the op posted this. every batch I run each season it's the same, around day 33-35 cornish roos start to fight fiercely.
it takes a day and then they have set pecking order. little monsters bloody faces.
no need to cull them, let them be.