Help with my 2 week old cornish X PLEASE!!

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

So I accadentally picked out 1 cornish X in the straight run bin at TSC.

He was limping when I got him home but is doing fine now with the legs. Now he just wattles around. He's SO FAT. his breasts are bulging!!! definately a Double D if he were a woman!! top heave if ya know what i mean!!

It's not like he gorges himself all day and doesn't excercise... I've seen him move around(he gets tired really FAST and starts to pant), and doesn't eat THAT much!! but he's definately less active then the rest!

He's in the brooder with 16 other chicks 10 his age and 6 a few weeks older (large brooder 4'x6'), and 1 8-week-old (thats limping! and got along well with the little ones better then alone!)

So what do I do??? I really just want him to have a comfortable short little life!

I dont want him to walk around like an obese little heiffer!!!!

So what about the panting? and the chubbyness!!? Can I limit his food intake? -but then he would have to be separatred from his friends!!

 

[scubaforlife]

That's just how they are. They develop muscle, its how their DNA works. He will put on tons of weight, he needs a high protein ration and some exercise. I would just let him be, let him grow, and worry less. He's going to pant a good deal as his growth is making internal heat. You can take some of the light away, the others will feel his heat and snuggle. If you have any beef liver around, you might want to give him some as it has loads of the extra stuff he needs.

 

[nursecat9]

Should the beef liver be raw or cooked?...or does it matter?

 

[4CiTyCHicHENs]

OMG!! I accidentally bought one too!!! Its a rooster! Its 3 weeks old & F'ing HHHHUUUUGGGGEEEEE!!!!! (pardon the french)

These are BOTH 3 weeks old!!!! OOOMMMGGGG!!!!

 

[spamee34]

well I did this once too on accident and the poor thing starved to death it was about 4 wks old and died so they definetly need to EAT ALOT!

 

[jaku]

I'd just treat is like any of your other birds and let the chips fall where they may. It will be fine.

 

[Dogfish]

It is amazing to see them grow side by side with laying hens. My barred rocks are about a half pound at 4 weeks, and the CX are almost 3lbs at the same age. The two week old CX birds are still larger than the 4 week old BR's. You can definitely tell that there is a genetic difference.

 

[dchickenman]

I bought 4 BR & 2 RIR pullets, then a week later added 6 CX. The meaties, though a week younger, are much bigger (& much less active) than the others. The pullets are feathering out nicely, and remind me of small robins, hopping around, fluttering, chasing each other, etc. The CX look (and act) like baseballs. Until I raised their feeder, forcing them to stand up to eat, they just laid there with their heads in the trough, occasionally waddling over to get a drink. Aside from raising the feeder, I'm also putting fresh grass, clover, and the occasional worm or bug in with them, just to get them up & moving around, trying to raise their activity level a little bit. I'm afraid that if I just let them lay around and eat (much like bored teenagers) they will drop dead before I can butcher them.

Thinking of getting Freedom Rangers for my next meat bird project!

 

[snowflake]

I got 11 CX for the first time, They are very large, their bellies are almost fuss free because they eat,sleep and poo, I feel kind of bad that they are so fat already, the other chicks in the brooder next to them are running,, flying, jumping and having so much fun!!! I wish it would warm up a bit moor then they could at least go out and lay in the grass.

 

[The Chickinn]

Here is a link to how to take proper care of you CX, from the website of the hatchery I order my CX from.

Link:

http://www.welphatchery.com/cornish_rock_care.asp

Also, when it says the 5th day of age, it means 5 weeks and 5 days, not 5 days old.
Hope this helps you all.

Cody