Troubleshooting Cornish Cross Losses

Troubleshooting:

Issue	Recommended Solution
Legs	Commonly caused by rapid growth Prevention is key - Feed 12 hours on/12 hours off Additional Manganese and Magnesium (Vital Pack Plus) Reduce protein High-Quality Fresh (within a month) Feed
Heart issues, congestive heart failure, sudden death	Commonly caused by rapid growth Prevention is key - Feed 12 hours on/12 hours off - this is imperative at all elevations, but even more so at higher elevations Reduce protein
Water Belly / Ascites	Commonly caused by rapid growth Pulmonary hypertension - fast growth rates, heart and lungs cannot keep up, more often seen at higher elevations where oxygen supply is reduced. No cure, high mortality.  Prevention is key - Feed 12 hours on/12 hours off - this is imperative at all elevations, but even more so at higher elevations
Feather loss on belly	Cornish lay around a lot and feathers may not grow on their belly due to friction with the ground
Coccidiosis	Husbandry Cocci Spray (available on free ship cornish) Medicated Feed (not used if cocci sprayed, must be one or the other)
Too Hot / Too Cold	Susceptible to heat - provide shade, plenty of water, and make sure they have good airflow.
Too Cold / Wet	Lack of feather's to insulate - will need to make accommodations if you are raising them in the winter.  Cooler wet weather, they may struggle as well
Slow Growth Rates	Different strains of broilers will grow at different rates.  Husbandry - space, temp, cleanliness Internal or external parasites - worms, coccidiosis; mites or lice - Check out our Medication, Health and Wellness category for solutions. Overcrowding (food or water starve out) - more space, feeders, and/or waterers. Feed quality - always use a high-quality feed, such as Meyer Hatchery Poultry Feed. Spoiled feed - mycotoxins reduce the nutritional value; store cool and dry and fresh. Diseases such as Marek's - Meyer Hatchery can vaccinate your birds for Marek's before leaving the hatchery, request this service when ordering. Biosecurity - closed flock, minimize visitors to farm, food baths. Contact local university extension for testing.
Cannibalism	Overcrowding, unable to get to food or water - increase space, feeders, and/or waterers. Not enough protein