Truck full of chickens

[dadof4]

I saw a a semi going down the interstate the other morning carring chickens. Not a big deal, as I travel 78 all the time and see them hauling truckloads down to Sanderson Farms. When I pulled up to look at them and they were all adults. Huge adults with big formed combs and wattles. Just never saw adults like that being hauled. Thought it was neat and I'd share. Ya'll have a good day.

 

[UncleHoot]

Interesting... I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "huge". What's huge to you might not be huge to me. Chickens are normally slaughtered at around 6 weeks, from everything I've read. Roasters may go to 7 or possibly 8 weeks. I can't imagine anyone with a truckload of cornish X older than 8 weeks, but it's probably happened before.

Which then makes me wonder if they were spent hens, possibly? I can't imagine a leghorn ever being called "huge" though.

 

[dadof4]

I've raised several batches of cornish X's and these looked more like the Godzilla thread. I could see the wattles and they were as long or longer than an adults thumb and the comb was already thick over the beak (if that makes sense). They looked as big or bigger than my big ol' Delaware roo. They looked like breeders or mabe old breeders. I just wish I knew were they were going.

 

[Southerngirl]

Maybe they were selling them as TURKEYS !!! That's how big they get !

 

[jmhappycowboy]

Quote:
More than likely they where old breeders, and they where headed to the processing plant. Not sure if they still do what they used to with them but, the older breeder birds used to be processed and used in soups, and all other processed chicken products such as the chicken patties you buy in grocery stores and the canned chicken products, etc. etc.

And yes most of those birds are huge heck the roosters look like turkeys when you see them in the henhouses.

 

[nicalandia]

Quote:
here in nicaragua the end up in the local meat market as cheap chicken for soup.....I can get my hands in ANY spent breeders I want...

 

[dadof4]

I found out they were from Cobb in Arkansas. I guess they produce Cornish X's, parent stock, etc.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i used to see 'the sad chicken truck' when i was driving... i always thought it was kind of funny - those poor birds zipping down the road or being stuck in traffic.

our meaties dont have very far to go
;-)