Too young to be molting?

cluckey

Songster
6 Years
Sep 17, 2014
160
14
116
This chick is almost 6 weeks old. She is 3 times the size of the other chicks that are the same age . However she is the only one of this breed. She spends most her time sitting down. She doesn't move around much and it looks like she's molting. She's loosing feathers around her butt and under her wings but she is way too young to be molting right? I've posted a picture you can see she looks a little rough. Any advice would be great!
400
 
Is she a cornish cross? Looks like it. They are usually butcherd at 6 to 8 weeks. The ones I've seen do look awful, missing feathers and lazy, lay down a lot. They are bred for quick growth on little feed and will usually die of a heart attack if not butchered.
 
I don't know what she is. She came from McMurray hatchery as a mix selection. I've become fond of her I didn't get these guys for meat :(she does seem to breathe heavier than the others. Poor girl. At least she's not ill
 
I ordered eleven chicks that I wanted, and ten 'mystery' chicks because they were basicly free with the difference in shipping from Meyers. Seven of them ended up being roos. With my luck, one of my daughters claimed the golden laced polish hen, and another of my daughters claimed the golden campine hen, but the dark cornish hen must go, and the roos, that was the plan anyway, meat for the freezer and soup pot.I'm a avid hunter and have been butchering animals for food since I was very young. When it comes to my chickens though I have a hard time with it. They are beautiful birds. I might just advertise them on Craigslist and put the money for more feed so it isn't a complete loss.
 
Craigslist might be the way to go for us. We were not prepared for butchering!
 

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