just got 25 two-week chicks - have questions - please help!

[EurekaSouth]

Our neighbor just gave us 25 chicks - he is a chicken and cow farmer and I'm sure he bought them in great bulk and he gave me some as he knew I was getting ready to have chickens anyway. I was going to get some Thursday, but I'm not now, as I'm not sure these guys/gals are healthy. I will call this man tomorrow, but right now, I don't know if they are pullets, what breed they are - I really don't know anything, but they were probably raised for their first two weeks in undesirable circumstances.
It seems their leg muscles are not developed, probably because they did not have room to use them.
Some of them do not open their eyes half the time, just sit there with their eyes closed - they aren't crusted, just kept closed. Is this normal?
Some of them have very large bottoms, my other neighbor said this was from eating food with hormones in it - which it is very likely that they had.
I keep telling them they have to get used to walking around, not getting any hormones, eating bugs, and life is going to be better, but time will tell, I guess.
Any suggestions/comments?

 

[4H kids and mom]

I think some photos would really be a help. Someone can probably tell you what breed by pictures, as well as taking a guess at their 'large bottoms' and closed eyes. Without seeing them I'm not sure there's much I can tell you. My 27 often sit for a stretch with eyes closed enjoying the sun (when outside) or just basking in the light. When you touch the closed eyed chick, does it open its eyes and try to get away or look at what touched it? If not, then it might be ill or weak. As far as wether they are pullets or not, unless the farmer knew, you wont know for a couple weeks until they develope more. You'll be able to pick the roos from the hens at that time. Unless of course you got lucky enough to get a sex linked breed in which case the color of chick will tell the sex...but, again photos would help there. Maybe someone else here can help you a bit more. Best of luck to you!

 

[EurekaSouth]

Yes, pics would help, I'm sure. I'll get those in the morning before I have to leave for work.

 

[silkiechicken]

Pics would be good... but you could be describing some really fat cornish x's. They would be white in color and explain "weak legs" and hormones in their feed. My cornish x's have big big bottoms and sit around all the time gorging on food. When I show up though they become peppy to the best of their abilities. I'd be wary about any chicks that may be sick, don't want to contaminate your backyard or your current flock of birds. If you want eggs and these are cornish, they will eat you out of your house and die before ever giving you an omelet. That's what they were made for, meat.

 

[EurekaSouth]

They ARE meat birds and bred for that, I'm sure. No eggs, huh? Well, after they've been fed well, and grown some, and lived a good life, we'll have our neighbors over for a BBQ. Jeff (our neighbor) was over here drooling yesterday anyway. Already this morning, not so many of them have their eyes shut - is it wrong of me to think it was just apathy over having no life and just being raised to be eaten. They're only 2 weeks. That's young to get so cynical!

 

[silkiechicken]

Just 6-7 more weeks and you'll have tons of chicken to eat!

 

[silkiechicken]

Ah you have to upload your picture to the internet before you can post it.

try http://tinypic.com/

 

[EurekaSouth]

 

[EurekaSouth]

I figured out the pix process....does anyone recognize what breed these guys are?

 

[silkiechicken]

Oh yes, thoes are defiantly cornish x's. They look to be almost 3 weeks old to me. You are lucky you can have them out on the grass like that, weather up here is not permitting of this and mine are couped up and make such a big stinky mess.

They won't be any good for eggs unfortunately and if you try to get them to survive, many of them will probably die to cardiac problems. They do look pretty good in the picture though. They were probably tired and lame due to lack of fresh grass and air. For me, it takes about 50 lbs of feed to bring each 4 chicks to processing weight of about 6 lbs. Unless you have access to a butchering facility, 25 birds to process at a time would be one very tough job. If I was going to butcher myself, I would do the big roos in batches of like 6 starting when they are 7-8 weeks old, letting the females get older before butcher. You might want to consider restricting their feed a bit because they will start developing leg problems pretty soon. It will slow their growth though.