Raising splayed leg chick for meat?

[fmh]

Hi all, I have a jersey giant chick that came out of the egg with splayed legs. Hobbled it right away but to no avail (it’s been over a week now). It gets around fine with the hobble, eats, drinks, and is growing nicely and doesn’t appear to be in pain. I was hoping to keep it as a pet but am realizing that’s maybe not the kindest thing to do since it probably won’t be able to roost and it’s weight will probably make it be in a lot of pain. Is it cruel to continue hobbling it and to raise this bird to adulthood for meat, though?

 

[Eggcessive]

Does the chick spend time with other chicks as part of the flock? As long as it is getting around, I cannot see a big problem. You could try making a very short roost or a little post that it might learn to use. I like vitamin B complex 1/4-1/2 tablet daily sprinkled onto feed, for leg issues, in case you want to try that.

Many people raise chickens for meat every day, and I see no problem with raising it for meat if you don’t think it will have a good life. It is up to you. But it might surprise you to get along okay. I have only had one chick with splay legs, and he did very well for his 5 years of life.

 

[fmh]

Does the chick spend time with other chicks as part of the flock? As long as it is getting around, I cannot see a big problem. You could try making a very short roost or a little post that it might learn to use. I like vitamin B complex 1/4-1/2 tablet daily sprinkled onto feed, for leg issues, in case you want to try that.

Many people raise chickens for meat every day, and I see no problem with raising it for meat if you don’t think it will have a good life. It is up to you. But it might surprise you to get along okay. I have only had one chick with splay legs, and he did very well for his 5 years of life.

Awesome! Yeah it gets around and gets along with the others. I wasn’t sure if this condition was really painful and the chick didn’t show it. If it’s female I’ll be tempted to keep it as an adult but I’m not sure it’ll do as well with a full sized jersey giant body on those legs. We’re sending our males for meat anyways so I’m trying (unsuccessfully) not to get too attached

 

[fmh]

so you can all get attached too, here’s the mini flock of jersey giants and jersey giant x chantecler crosses (the chick in question is second to the right)

 

[Eggcessive]

You have some very sweet chicks.