Why is this chick growing so fast???

[TheChickenGirl16]

I bought ten Cornish x, not realizing what they were. The one that lives the longest did not quite make a year. What a heartbreaking ordeal that was. I still cringe every time I hear the phrase "meat bird." I may have to go vegetarian if they keep doing this kind of thing. I just don't want to contribute to the misery sickos come up with to make money.

Yes, it is sad.
I STILL haven’t quit figured out what to do with her….
I have a friend who is processing her turkeys soon, and she said that they could do her too….
Here she is now,
14 1/2 pounds:

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Yes, it is sad.
I STILL haven’t quit figured out what to do with her….
I have a friend who is processing her turkeys soon, and she said that they could do her too….
Here she is now,
14 1/2 pounds:

I would let your friend process her. As hard as it is emotionally, it's the kindest thing to do. At this size she's bound to get issues standing and it looks like she is already having some issues by her awkward stance. Keeping her alive will only lead to her suffering before her death.

Remember, she's had a life full of great days and only one bad day.

 

[Beau plus penny]

Am I crazy, or is this chick insanely fat???
View attachment 4141729
I’ve had these chicks for like two weeks, and I think they were a little bit under a week old when I got them.
If it helps for size comparison, these two chicks opposite each other came from the same bin at TSC on the same day, and were labeled “White Leghorn”
View attachment 4141739
I’ve not really ever seen this little guy eating more than the others, it just seems to grow twice as fast.
Does it have an eating disorder, or what?
My dad had a thought that horrified me…he said that it could be a Cornish Cross, instead of a Leghorn! I hope he’s wrong! Is this possible?
Here are a couple more photos:
View attachment 4141748
View attachment 4141749
Any thoughts?

it looks like a cornish if it isnt it could be that your other chicks are bantams or the big chick is a rooster

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

I would let your friend process her. As hard as it is emotionally, it's the kindest thing to do. At this size she's bound to get issues standing and it looks like she is already having some issues by her awkward stance. Keeping her alive will only lead to her suffering before her death.

Remember, she's had a life full of great days and only one bad day.

Ok, thank you!
I was planning to do that, I just didn’t know if she could last that long, and I needed to give her up earlier.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Ok, thank you!
I was planning to do that, I just didn’t know if she could last that long, and I needed to give her up earlier.

Do you have an idea of when your friend is processing her turkeys? Too far away might not be good but if it is soon then she should be ok.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

Do you have an idea of when your friend is processing her turkeys? Too far away might not be good but if it is soon then she should be ok.

Well, she’s saying like 3 weeks…

 

[The Sniper]

Well, she’s saying like 3 weeks…

Set a pot of water, a very big one, full, and heat it to boiling.
hold her upside down by the feet, off the head, hold her in the boiling water for 45 seconds, deep enough to cover the whole body of the bird, then pull her out and pluck.
sorry about that mixup. Cornish live a terrible life after they reach size

 

[SnackMeat]

Is the fate of all Cornish Cross chickens, to quickly grow huge and than be processed? Or do you think that I could separate her inside the pen, and try to give her less food, and more exercise?
Do Cornish cross chickens Evan lay eggs,(should they live a full and happy life)?

A full life for a Cornish cross may be 6 months to two years. If you limit food now and make them forage more so they have to exercise, they can have slightly longer longevity.


We had someone give us 3 Cornish crosses they accidentally bought. Culled two and kept the 3rd because she made it clear that her being a wide load wasn't stopping her from enjoying life. She recently passed around 5 months old. She did lay a couple of pullet eggs that didn't have a hard shell. She'd had a cough for awhile and even with antibiotics it never fully went away. But because of her size, she was kind of head hen (everyone is young with my group) and she was popular with visitors.


The downsides, aside from health issues, that towards the end seemed like congestive heart failure-- I probably would have autopsied her to make sure it wasn't a stuck egg but everything pointed to respiratory and I wasn't here when she passed, is that CC leave massive, MASSIVE turds. And they are very motivated for food which means don't be surprised that you may have a jumper on your hands when it comes at getting to the mealworm bag.

 

[The Sniper]

Cornish Cross was created using some mix of selective breeding and evil black magic, and the general genetic specs are as follows:

size
growth rate
feed conversion
feed consumption
health
surviveability
leg strength
egg production
life expectancy
speed
energy
intelligence
disease immunity



this means it is not good for almost anything more than factory farming

if a breed cannot survive natural selection, cannot survive on its own and reproduce to a net population gain, then it probably should NOT exist.
If the chicken breed cannot be found in the wild, it shouldn't be found in our farms or on our table

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Well, she’s saying like 3 weeks…

Try and reduce food for her and encourage her to move around. 3 weeks isn't terrible if you can try and up her quality of life for the time being. Best of luck