Soo very upset at TSC

[U_Stormcrow]

I (and others) have made offerings as to HOW to do it. But whether you should??? That's something you need to think long and hard about.

Having done it, I would *NOT* do it again.

 

[awagnon]

I would recommend you do that.

Yes, they can be managed to live longer, but that involved severely restricting their food.
That makes them healtier, but it also means they spend all their time hungry.
It also means more work for you, because you have to feed the m the right amount of food each day, in one or two meals. You don't have the option of just filling the feeder and knowing they are set for several days.

Limiting their food would probably also mean separating them from your other chickens, who should not have their food limited. (Or putting food for the small birds on a high shelf that the Cornish Cross cannot fly to, or making a space that only small birds can enter to get free-choice food, or something like that.)

Even when they live "longer" and are "healthier" than other Cornish Cross, they do not live as long as other breeds of chickens, and they are not as healthy as other breeds of chickens.


I am guessing it will not be a big problem, especially if you have some roosts in the coop.
The smaller birds will be able to fly up, when the Cornish Cross cannot.
Even if they don't fly, the smaller birds are probably faster and more agile than the Cornish Cross.

Also, if they have constant access to food, the Cornish Cross are less likely to canibalize the smaller birds (the feeder holds still to let them eat, so it's easier.) Hungry Cornish Cross who have their food restricted would be more motivated to eat their coop-mates.

So yes, you could keep the Cornish Cross as pets. Several people in the thread have already given advice about that. But I suspect that you will enjoy chicken-keeping more if you give away the Cornish Cross.

That would be good news about the smaller ones roosting out of the big ones way IF we could get them to stay up there. ugh. I put the red girls up there and they immediately want to jump back down and run to me to see where I am going. They are such a hoot. The poor Cornish ones, ( I have since found out this morning 2 of the 3 'Pullets' are Roos even tho the girl boxing them up assured me they were not. ugh.) NEVER shopping at TSC again!!

Thank you for the tag!

Op, I didn't read your whole post, but I would be happy to help! I raised who Cornish X from 2 weeks of age, and still have Doodle today. She turned 1 a month or so ago.
I'm going to post a link to my article and thread for you to read through, that will have all the info you need. At 6 weeks, its going to take some dedication to get their weight back down. Separate them immediately, and start restricting feed, use 18% protein, or less. I would feed about 1/4c, maybe a bit more, for a couple weeks, daily. Hopefully they can slim down. You should feed leafy greens as treats during this time since they will be hungry. I've had to diet my girls extra a few times in the past when they would break into the feed room, and they were not happy about it. The leafy greens will fill their crop, but they wont gain any weight from it.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you can get all the info you need form the links below.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ge-my-adventure-with-cornish-x-as-pets.76727/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/experimenting-with-a-few-meat-birds-as-pets.1449592/

Thanks so much for your help and advice, but we have decided not to keep the Cornish birds. I called the store this morning and although I didn't expect them to take these huge birds back, the Mgr. passed the buck to the hatchery claiming they were 'mislabeled' there. We have decided to trade with my sister who has REAL leghorns. She also raises and process birds for her freezer so these birdies will be harvested. Don't get me wrong I LOVE a good chicken sandwich, just not one made out of a chicken I KNOW! lol

 

[awagnon]

Thank you everyone for all your wise advice. This is such an awesome resource with very knowledgeable people. Sad decision, but I feel a necessary one to give away the birds for harvesting.

 

[awagnon]

Oh, that's awful! I am so sorry! I know it doesn't help much, but talk to the manager at tsc. They might refund your money or give you replacements.

I agree that you will likely need to give them away. My heart really breaks for you. What a terrible thing to have happen. It just sets you up for heartbreak.

I got a black Naked Neck, an Appenzeller Spitzhauben, and a lavender Orpington from bin at tsc that was labeled "Blue Andalusians."

I find it's often dependent on who is in charge. I've had GREAT luck at one tsc and BAD luck at another. If the folks in charge are serious about chickens, it's more likely theh will be labeled correctly.

I actually helped one store re-label their chicks a few weeks ago....

called the mgr this morning. No real solution, but I really didn't expect one. It was very off putting that she passed the buck onto the hatchery implying that kind of mistake would never be made at her store.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think you've made a wise decision.

Good luck with your layers.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

That would be good news about the smaller ones roosting out of the big ones way IF we could get them to stay up there. ugh. I put the red girls up there and they immediately want to jump back down and run to me to see where I am going. They are such a hoot. The poor Cornish ones, ( I have since found out this morning 2 of the 3 'Pullets' are Roos even tho the girl boxing them up assured me they were not. ugh.) NEVER shopping at TSC again!!


Thanks so much for your help and advice, but we have decided not to keep the Cornish birds. I called the store this morning and although I didn't expect them to take these huge birds back, the Mgr. passed the buck to the hatchery claiming they were 'mislabeled' there. We have decided to trade with my sister who has REAL leghorns. She also raises and process birds for her freezer so these birdies will be harvested. Don't get me wrong I LOVE a good chicken sandwich, just not one made out of a chicken I KNOW! lol

Ultimately, I think you will be happier with this solution.

 

[Weeg]

Thanks so much for your help and advice, but we have decided not to keep the Cornish birds. I called the store this morning and although I didn't expect them to take these huge birds back, the Mgr. passed the buck to the hatchery claiming they were 'mislabeled' there. We have decided to trade with my sister who has REAL leghorns. She also raises and process birds for her freezer so these birdies will be harvested. Don't get me wrong I LOVE a good chicken sandwich, just not one made out of a chicken I KNOW! lol

Sounds like you made a good decision.
As much as I love Doodle, and think she is a happy bird, I'm not sure if I will do it again in the future. She dust bathes, and forages, and sun bathes. But if I walk in, or even by the run, she's at my heels hoping for the smallest morsel to eat. She is always hungry, and as happy as she seems, I feel bad for her because of that one little detail. Of course, chickens cant talk, so I can't ask her if she would rather eat as much as she likes, not be hungry, but have a very short life, or always be hungry, and have a long life. We just have to make the best decision based off of what we think is right. Sounds like you did a great job at doing that.

 

[awagnon]

Sounds like you made a good decision.
As much as I love Doodle, and think she is a happy bird, I'm not sure if I will do it again in the future. She dust bathes, and forages, and sun bathes. But if I walk in, or even by the run, she's at my heels hoping for the smallest morsel to eat. She is always hungry, and as happy as she seems, I feel bad for her because of that one little detail. Of course, chickens cant talk, so I can't ask her if she would rather eat as much as she likes, not be hungry, but have a very short life, or always be hungry, and have a long life. We just have to make the best decision based off of what we think is right. Sounds like you did a great job at doing that.

thanks a big part of that decision is that we live in north texas and even though temps have not been hot here, I see them in the coop just panting and miserable despite having a good breeze and shade on them. Don't want them to have a miserable life.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I’m so sorry that you had to go through this. I just read the entire thread and I believe that you made the right decision.

 

[awagnon]

I’m so sorry that you had to go through this. I just read the entire thread and I believe that you made the right decision.

Thanks so much. It is really sad. The 2 roos had to be given baths ALOT since they would sleep laying down and in poo. I kept them clean and they really seemed to enjoy our Spa days.