What to do? Hen too FAT to move--added photos

[Praxxus]

I never give up on my birds. If they were mine I would toss them on a strict diet of greens and water. They'll lose weight. Oh yes they'd lose weight for certain, AND they'd walk again unless their legs were broken, which I'd bet they aren't. Diet. Give it a try. They deserve at least a chance at having a life. They may not make it but I'd bet they will. Clover, grass and water for as long as it takes. No bread, no corn, no poptarts and no KFC.....oops.

Lift those wings girls! And one and two and you can DO it! Cluck with me baby! One and TWO and.......

 

[Chickengal505]

When i said fatties i ment the fluffy sweet kind that are not THAT over weight there just lazy somtimes..... i think said the Love the fatties thing wrong..... now everyone thinks im terrable (sniffle) im gonna short out my lap top if i dont stop worrying about that...

I need this somtimes but i doubt i would work...

i'll never show my user name on this site ever again i'll live in a closet....

(sniffle for the second time) sorry to much coffie but i didn't mean so fat to the point its a health issue... (sniffle)

Chickengal505 wrote:
Ohhhhh i love the fatties there to unmoble to be mean because you got to do every thing for them...but its kinnda sad... pick her up and make her stand you hold half the weight she holds the rest move you hands to make her walk. Kinda like teaching a baby to walk ecept here teaching her to lose weight. Its sad obesedy spred to them too...

My first response to this post:

My second response to this post:

 

[Katy]

The problem isn't with the chickens....the problem is with people who try to raise them as the kind of chicken they are not meant to be. Cornish crosses are not meant to live a long and happy life....they are meant to grow fast and large and then feed a family.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

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Exactly. I really don't think they have it in their capacity to lose weight since they are bred to put on weight so quickly.

 

[silkiechicken]

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I agree, it can be done, but what kind of life is a life of always starving and atrophying to lose weight? They aren't fat, they are balls of muscle. Bred to put on weight as muscle mass, not globs of fat like human mammals often obtain as a natural response to energy storage. Make them lose muscle mass, sure it can be done, but I would have eaten them with the knowledge that for the time you had them, their lives were fuller and in the end they were able to provide nourishment to your family.

 

[A1 Steak Sauce]

Well, you have to understand that they're not "normal" chickens, they're meat chickens. They're not made to live very long. Longer they live (esp. at the weight they're at now) the more they suffer, if I were you I'd cull. There's not much else you can do, except keep feeding them and have them die a painful death. They'll die either way, one just doesn't hurt as bad. Your call though.

 

[EweSheep]

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I agree, it can be done, but what kind of life is a life of always starving and atrophying to lose weight? They aren't fat, they are balls of muscle. Bred to put on weight as muscle mass, not globs of fat like human mammals often obtain as a natural response to energy storage. Make them lose muscle mass, sure it can be done, but I would have eaten them with the knowledge that for the time you had them, their lives were fuller and in the end they were able to provide nourishment to your family.

Like humans, if you lose muscle, considering the heart is also a muscle, your heart will have problems. For the Cornish X's, even if they have lost weight, their heart will fail eventually. I would not blame the hatchery for selling them to you but some folks just dont do their homework first by researching the breeds and what kind of bird you need for you and your family.

Cornish X's are strictly for meat in a FAST way. The Dark Cornish is not a FAST growing breed but still gives a good ratio of meat in a slow method.

 

[lotzahenz]

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My first response to this post:

My second response to this post:

Chicken Gal, don't you worry. You still come here and post your hearts thoughts. WE ALL love the fatties in the animal world, or why else would we punish those with "skinny" livestock and NOT those with severly obese livestock equally. It does not make sense! I know what you meant. Those are Cornish Cross birds and are stictly bred to be that way so they can be sold quickly for a profit by the farmer, they are so overbred they are not natural. However, if the farmer is to survive they are necessary to keep up with America's huge need for cheap, boneless chicken breast. You just hold your head up proud on here, we still LOVE you. HenZ

 

[Wifezilla]

Greens and a high protein, low carbohydrate feed may prolong their lives. Basically you need to put them on Atkins for Chickens.

 

[BJFOXX]

I have 5 foghorns I bought as chicks, 2 months old and they are all so much larger than the rest of my chickens. None of them get around well, walk a little and then sit, repeat... I was told the were good egg layers and that is why I bought them. Was I told bad info?? They find live long enough to give eggs??? We butchered one today and he was huge! His crop full of feed. I must say I'm a first time owners so I'm not sure what to do with them. Don't want them to have a bad life. Should I butcher them now??