Possible meat chicken gone bad?

[GA Sweets]

Hello fellow chicken lovers,

I recently took on a Leghorn chick that is supposedly around 8 weeks old. The back story is she was rescued from a biology lab at a school. However, she is far larger than my adult chickens and really struggles moving around, due to her size. Her feet and legs appear to be big enough to support her, but she's so big, she seems top heavy. Her crop is huge and sticks out of her chest far more than a regular chicken. Other than her size, she seems ok. Does anyone have any experience with chickens like this? Will she live, and if so, will she have somewhat of a normal life after shes done growing? Not sure if she should be culled, or if I should try to give her the best life I can? Thank you in advance for your thoughts...

 

[Molpet]

Hello fellow chicken lovers,

I recently took on a Leghorn chick that is supposedly around 8 weeks old. The back story is she was rescued from a biology lab at a school. However, she is far larger than my adult chickens and really struggles moving around, due to her size. Her feet and legs appear to be big enough to support her, but she's so big, she seems top heavy. Her crop is huge and sticks out of her chest far more than a regular chicken. Other than her size, she seems ok. Does anyone have any experience with chickens like this? Will she live, and if so, will she have somewhat of a normal life after shes done growing? Not sure if she should be culled, or if I should try to give her the best life I can? Thank you in advance for your thoughts...

CX meat bird

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That is not a leghorn.
It is either a Cornish/Rock cross or possibly a white Cornish.
If it is a Cornish rock, it may not ever have a normal live since they have been bred to be eaten by 7 or 8 weeks of age.

 

[GA Sweets]

That is not a leghorn.
It is either a Cornish/Rock cross or possibly a white Cornish.
If it is a Cornish rock, it may not ever have a normal live since they have been bred to be eaten by 7 or 8 weeks of age.

Well, that would make sense. So cull her?

 

[GA Sweets]

CX meat bird

Not a meat bird?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

A CX is a meat bird. That is the cross that makes up 98% of grocery store chicken and 100% of fast food chicken.

 

[Molpet]

Not a meat bird?

Meat bird... at harvest age... Cornish cross usually called CX

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Not a meat bird?

Cornish cross are meat birds. Most chicken you buy at a store are cornish cross. You do need to cull her, or it is very likely she will die of heart failure because she is so big.

 

[GA Sweets]

A CX is a meat bird. That is the cross that makes up 98% of grocery store chicken and 100% of fast food chicken.

Ooh, I see what you're saying.

Cornish cross are meat birds. Most chicken you buy at a store are cornish cross. You do need to cull her, or it is very likely she will die of heart failure because she is so big.

I see what you are saying, my apologies. Ok, I will do what needs to be done. Thank you all for your guidance!

 

[Molpet]

I kept one CX alive for breeding meat mutts. But she was on a strict diet and exercise and didn't live a year.