Will Cornish X live normal lives if you don't kill them ever?

[BirchHatchery]

im goin to keep my thoughts to myself as ppls veiws are to extreme

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
I had one that lived a very good life until she died (overnight sometime--was fine when she went to "bed") at close to two years old. We didn't treat her any differently than the layers. Its a long story but she was given to me as she had curly toe (I was a certified veterinary technician before I became a behaviorist) and I raised her with another chick I had to buy at the feed store to keep her company in my home. I handled "Fred" and gave her toes physical therapy several times a day as well as handle her sidekick, "Ethel" (fortunately both turned out to be females). I eventually took them to my friend's coop to live with their hens. Fred was pretty active as they had a big run and followed me around the ranch whenever I was there. She even layed eggs--not too big which was funny as she was HUGE compared to the others. She didn't climb the ladder up to the hen-house as it was fairly steep so we built her a floor level "luxury apartment" that her sidekick slept in as well. She was INCREDIBLY friendly and sweet

--even purred and rubbed her head and neck against you to be petted. Everyone at the barn loved "Fred." Perhaps she is the exception to the rule. Personally, I don't like the lives they usually live--and how they die. I certainly do not recommend raising one as I did but she was placed into my hands and that clinched her fate. I think Fred and I were just lucky.

 

[Michele S]

Quote:
OMG, you are hysterical. That just made me spit my coffee all over my laptop. Do people really put chickens in DIAPERS???? WTH is wrong with people? Are they insane????????

Okay, I really don't get why anyone would want to "save" these birds, but then the happiest day of my life was when my kids got out of diapers, so what do I know? LMAO. I like them, they are nice birds. But, heck, they taste good too!!!!!

 

[KatieH]

Quote:
I agree they aren't physically starving. I asked if they felt the sensation of starvation if you restrict their food past a certain point. Maybe I'm wrong, but my assumption is that they eat the amount that they do because they're bred to hungry much more often than standard breeds.

And no, I'm personally not that concerned. I raise them to eat them, not to be their bff. My point was just that if you're going to buy a meat bird that wasn't meant to live for years so you can "save" it, it seems to contradict the intent if they're going to walk around feeling like they're starving (which has nothing to do with physical starvation) or suffer painful health problems as a result. I don't understand why people buy meat birds to make them pets, sorry.

 

[BirchHatchery]

exectly

 

[jaku]

Quote:
OMG, you are hysterical. That just made me spit my coffee all over my laptop. Do people really put chickens in DIAPERS???? WTH is wrong with people? Are they insane????????

Okay, I really don't get why anyone would want to "save" these birds, but then the happiest day of my life was when my kids got out of diapers, so what do I know? LMAO. I like them, they are nice birds. But, heck, they taste good too!!!!!

Yes, and in fact, I was told that I was "getting close to flaming," one time when I suggested that it might be "a little crazy" to do so.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
But correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the guy who's never even raised them? I'd suggest that few people who have raised more than one batch of them would ever describe them that way. They are in NO pain, and they are completely healthy- and it isn't hard to raise them to be as such. I can't remember if I lost two or three from my last batch of 75. That's pretty typical for me, and I do nothing special for them. I dare anyone raising any breed to do much better than that for losses. They are very alert and run around their pen all day. They just don't behave as you describe them.

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I agree they aren't physically starving. I asked if they felt the sensation of starvation if you restrict their food past a certain point. Maybe I'm wrong, but my assumption is that they eat the amount that they do because they're bred to hungry much more often than standard breeds.

And no, I'm personally not that concerned. I raise them to eat them, not to be their bff. My point was just that if you're going to buy a meat bird that wasn't meant to live for years so you can "save" it, it seems to contradict the intent if they're going to walk around feeling like they're starving (which has nothing to do with physical starvation) or suffer painful health problems as a result. I don't understand why people buy meat birds to make them pets, sorry.

My point on that was that the OP wanted to feel like she was doing some good by saving them. Are you saying that if you were going to feel hungry all the time, you'd rather be dead? Because personally, I'd rather take the chance of dying of a heart attack at a fairly young age than have my head chopped off and be eaten.

Hey, if it were me, those birds would be dead and in the freezer the day I got them home, but the OP wanted to do some good and save their lives, and everyone is jumping on her saying it is cruel to do so, which is just silly.

 

[cw]

the plublicity the cornish x has gottne from the industry isnt 1 for the faint of heart, i myself has raised cornish x s and i have lost just as many layers as i have cornish x s
i wouldnt describe there life to be painful or horrible or the gimp aroungd because they are misshaped, i raise mine with plenty of space, not really any differnce then the other chickens other then they grow fast, but i wouldnt call that in humane, if it was would raising ducks be inhumane? they grow faster then anything i have ever seen,

being humane or inhumane isnt the bred of the animal, but how the breed of animal is treated,

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
But correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't you the guy who's never even raised them?

I'm sorry. I guess I missed the post where you mentioned you raised them up to two years or age, which is what I was talking about in my post.

Seems like those who have think they are in pain, though.

But you are correct. I haven't raised any at all. I was going to try a batch this spring, but based on what I have read here by people who raise them on a regular basis, and on my research about them in poultry journals and such, I have decided not to. Just can't bring myself to do it, for many reasons.

I also haven't built a car, but research carefully before I purchase one and listen carefully to the experts, making my decision based on that and on what I am looking for.