Very lazy meat chicks!

[Anna_MN]

I know that meat birds usually just sit around all day and eat as much as they can- but my 10 day old cornish X chicks do the same thing! I clean their brooder out and put new shavings in every 3 days but since they lay around so much the feathers on their belly's are damp all the time. I have 14 in a 5ft x 2ft brooder.What should I do about this issue?

*Also- at 10 days old they weigh an average of 1/2 pound. Is this normal?

 

[Kaitie09]

Cornish X are meat birds, and that is exactly what they will do. Once you move them into a bigger run, try to place the food and water at opposite sides of the run. That way they have to get up and move to get where they need to go. I had mine on a hill and made them walk up the hill to get food, and walk down to get water. None of my birds every broke a leg, and would fly down the hill after they ate. they all seemed to be very healthy, but I did have some leaner birds.

If they bellies are damp you either need to clean the brooder more often, or add more shavings.

 

[Anna_MN]

Thank you! That is a very good idea to put the food and water on opposite ends. I have two inches of shavings in the bottom of the brooder- hopefully that will help.

 

[Kaitie09]

That is definitely not enough shavings if you clean it every three days. At that age, I had mine with 6- 8 inches of shavings and had to clean it every 4 days.

I don't know if you have them still on a heat lamp, but just be careful that the shavings don't get too hot once you add more.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

As I read this I have a day old cornish x chick sitting at the waterer while the other breeds move about and explore. Lazy little guy.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Just remember they are meat animals, as my grandfather would say, don't exersise too much, you don't want to make the meat tough. I keep my feed and water no more than 4 ft apart. Good luck.