? Wheezing Cornish X

[spook]

This is a really stupid question but I have a cornish x that is wheezing quite loudly. The birds are 7 weeks, good sized, is this a "time to dispatch" sign?
There seems to be no major distress other then sound and you can hear it without wondering where its coming from or whom it is coming from acrossed the yard. (They are not on medicated feed.)

 

[graykristen]

Yep, I would butcher him soon or else he'll just die and that would be a waste. That can happen to cornish crosses around the 7th to 8th week. They gain weigh so fast that their organs just can't keep up.

 

[Mr.Yardbird]

Ya i have the same issue with some 5-6 week olds, they are just to big to support proper body functions. Dispatch/Enjoy!!

 

[spook]

Thank you so much for your responses, I had that feeling...guess I better get my shoes on, lol! This is 3 days shy of "8" weeks. Thank you again for your replies!~ Kel

 

[mmajw]

Good luck with your butchering Kel. This could be just the way that one has always been breathing and you never heard it so loud or this could be a sign that he is getting to big for his lungs and is having a difficult time breathing.

I bet they will be yummy!!!

 

[spook]

Thanks "grandma"!!! LOL Seeings they came from you! I'm sure you know how good they will taste too! heeehee hee.
I'll tell ya M, they have been very healthy birds and no problems at all. Thank you for making sure your birds are quality. I'll (at this point- ha ha) be planning on having more from you next year!!!

 

[mmajw]

Glad that they were good for you. I will make sure to have plenty next year.

 

[spook]

Alrighty, the wheezing has been taken care of....I murdered her, lol, dressed out at 5 1/2 lbs. The one thing that I noticed when I looked at her innards, she had a quarter sized aneurysm near the back side of the heart. I went out and she was not wheezing, but as I made them move, she began to turn redish around her head, so I readied my tools, hot water, ax, sharp knife...now understand why folks use the Killing cones. The ax worked well, but I was covered in blood and the dead girl ended up with a broken wing.
Its not a big deal, but I could have made it a lot better meat and the sound while plucking was a bit gross (grates).
So This weekend I'll plan on another one, if there is wheezing, I'll have to send Bob and mom off to the store! LOL

 

[mmajw]

Good for you for getting the job done. Well now the worst is over. Now time to eat.

 

[graykristen]

We raise a lot of birds and we have a mobile processing unit but when we have to kill just one because it has a problem and we don't want to have to clean the unit, we do this:

We cut the top off of a plastic gallon jug. Then turn it upside down and put the bird in with it's head poking out the bottom. Then I hold it by the jug handle while my husband takes the head off. Of course this only works if the bird is small enough to fit in the jug but it sure is easy to clean up afterwards. My only advice is to hold the jug far away from your body so you don't get too splashed.