The Old Folks Home

[superchemicalgirl]

That could be your problem right there. They're muscle bound and from what I understand, a lot of cornish breeders use the AI system for reproduction.

Well, heck, I hadn't read that anywhere but it makes sense. He's not "massive" per se, all of my cornish look medium sized, but when you pick them up they have quite a bit of heft to them. Part of what makes them look so small is the tight feathering. If they were poofy feathered, they'd look gigantic.

Well that makes me feel a bit better - but he was supposed to be part of my meat bird project, obviously that didn't go so well. I have a couple cornish hens but have had no luck at all breeding them. One has been broody since February. Another only squats for the turkey tom. The last two fly out of the enclosure at first light and spend the day in the woods foraging. None of them are fertile. Guess I've got to figure out what I'm going to purchase in December to reset my meat bird program.

 

[Alaskan]

@Lacy Blues

@ChickenCanoe

A genetic defect... Is that what you both still vote for after seeing the pictures?

I DO want to breed these birds. This girl was from the group I got from Cackle..... So do I just not use her? Or not use any of the birds I got from Cackle?

And, how big is the chance that this is a simple injury?


Pictures again, click on them to make them bigger.

 

[Cynthia12]

Ok, can't quite tell..is it her leg she is favoring? I just went through this with one of my birds. All I could figure out was that she hurt herself getting off of the roost..or even fell off of in the night. She limped for a while..I checked her for bumble foot..not that..so I could tell it was up in her thigh. I had also checked for sores anywhere on the leg. Couldn't..see..anything wrong but her limping. She got better within two weeks.

 

[Alaskan]

Ok, can't quite tell..is it her leg she is favoring?   I just went through this with one of my birds.   All I could figure out was that she hurt herself getting off of the roost..or even fell off of in the night.   She limped for a while..I checked her for bumble foot..not that..so I could tell it was up in her thigh.  I had also checked for sores anywhere on the leg.  Couldn't..see..anything wrong but her limping.  She got better within two weeks. 

She is moving fine, can run well. When I felt her, I THINK (but it was very difficult to figure out what I was feeling) that the one hip, where the leg enters it, is the 'wrong' spot. It almost felt as if I was feeling the top of one leg bone, as if it was dislocated. But, she is not in pain, though I think a little uncomfortable.

It makes her one wing much higher than the other, and causes her tail to be bent to one side.

I wanted to feel down along her vertebra, but her feathers are so thick and soft I really have no idea what her spine is doing.

She isn't even limping. Her movement is great.

 

[Wisher1000]

Quote:
Thank you, Lacey, Cathy is a friend and I am driving to meet her for a SC swap in two weeks! In my humble opinion, her birds are some of the best I've seen in person. Not only are her birds great, but so is she, very nice and very knowledgeable.

There is a BYC member (Debs_flock) that has them as well. I plan to get some hatching eggs from her this fall.

 

[gryeyes]

I "need" to have some talented person PhotoShop a pair of outstretched chicken wings to my shoulders in this photo, a la Angel Wings. Anybody game?

 

[Lacy Blues]

Well, heck, I hadn't read that anywhere but it makes sense. He's not "massive" per se, all of my cornish look medium sized, but when you pick them up they have quite a bit of heft to them. Part of what makes them look so small is the tight feathering. If they were poofy feathered, they'd look gigantic.

Well that makes me feel a bit better - but he was supposed to be part of my meat bird project, obviously that didn't go so well. I have a couple cornish hens but have had no luck at all breeding them. One has been broody since February. Another only squats for the turkey tom. The last two fly out of the enclosure at first light and spend the day in the woods foraging. None of them are fertile. Guess I've got to figure out what I'm going to purchase in December to reset my meat bird program.

Maybe get some plymouth rocks to cross with them? I know that's what the fast food industry used but if you were to use something along those lines, maybe you could get some fertility going? Delawares are yummy!

@Lacy Blues

@ChickenCanoe

A genetic defect... Is that what you both still vote for after seeing the pictures?

I DO want to breed these birds. This girl was from the group I got from Cackle..... So do I just not use her? Or not use any of the birds I got from Cackle?

And, how big is the chance that this is a simple injury?


Pictures again, click on them to make them bigger.

Whatever the cause is, if her leg is dislocated then she has weak ligaments and skeletal structure. I wouldn't use her at all. The birds that show no signs of this problem will be fine to use so all is not lost.

She is moving fine, can run well. When I felt her, I THINK (but it was very difficult to figure out what I was feeling) that the one hip, where the leg enters it, is the 'wrong' spot. It almost felt as if I was feeling the top of one leg bone, as if it was dislocated. But, she is not in pain, though I think a little uncomfortable.

It makes her one wing much higher than the other, and causes her tail to be bent to one side.

I wanted to feel down along her vertebra, but her feathers are so thick and soft I really have no idea what her spine is doing.

She isn't even limping. Her movement is great.

She sounds just like the one Delaware I had that developed this problem.

If you want to feel her spine, try this: hold her while you're sitting down and relaxing. Make sure she is relaxing. Then put a couple fingers underneath her feathers to where you find her spine. Now close your eyes (it heightens other senses) go slow and gently and maybe you will feel it. Check her keel bone as well to be sure it is straight.

 

[Pozees]

SCG I second the suggestion of Plymouth Rocks, and if it's meat birds you're after, contact Frank Reese at Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch in KS. Be warned, his Rocks grow s-l-o-w-l-y but they finish good sized and drop-dead gorgeous. He also has Cornish, BTW, and may simply be able to supply you with more of those if that's what you really want.

 

[LindaB220]

No they don't! We have gone to pig pickin parties where they smoke the whole hog and it is so good you can't stop eating it!

Ummmmm That's what I get for going on heresay. I haven't tasted boar before.

 

[chickadoodles]

Quote: It is awesome!