How to Care for Cornish Chickens

Cornish chickens are a type of chicken primarily raised for their meat. Originally, these birds came from England but are now raised around the world and sold in stores everywhere. Cornish chickens normally grow from 4 lbs. to 8 lbs. Not only are these birds raised to eat, some are even kept as pets. Most Cornish chickens are calm and gentle, making them ideal as pets. To successfully raise Cornish chickens, you must know how to care for them properly.

Things You'll Need

  • Chicken house
  • Chicken pen
  • Chicken wire
  • Nail gun
  • Chicken feed
  • Feeder
  • Water container
  • Water
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide your Cornish chickens with a safe chicken house with a chicken pen built around it. A good rule to follow is to allow 4 square feet per chicken in the chicken house and pen.

    • 2

      Secure the chicken house and pen to keep predators out and your chickens safe. Chicken wire works well for this. Use a nail gun to secure the wire to the frame of the house, over any openings and over the top of the pen.

    • 3

      Purchase a chicken feed with a high amount of nutrients, made specifically for game chickens.

    • 4

      Keep chicken feed in your feeder, where your Cornish chickens can eat when they want. The amount of feed a Cornish chicken will consume varies depending on certain factors, such as climate, the number of chicken in the flock, feed type and if it has access to natural feed. Just keep your feeder full and track how much the chickens are eating daily.

    • 5

      Provide fresh water to your Cornish chickens at all times. Place the water as far away from the feed as possible to encourage as much exercise as possible. Cornish chickens grow at a rapid rate and are more prone to leg problems and overexertion, but getting the extra exercise helps.

    • 6

      Clean your chicken house, feeder and water container often to keep your Cornish chickens disease free. Fowl pox is a viral disease common to chickens that spreads easily from one chicken to another. Symptoms include lack of eating and scabs that form from a scratch. Blackhead disease is a disease of the digestive system that starts with drowsiness, increased thirst and diarrhea. Good hygiene can help prevent the onset and spread of fowl diseases.