Cons: May become serial brooders.
The Dark Cornish I have we received from McMurray Hatchery. They will forage for most of their food often going around our buildings eating every single bug they see. One of our girls has been known to follow us into our 30x40 shed and has did an awesome job removing spiders and other bugs. In the past when the box elder bugs and Asian beetles got really bad in the fall they would set off our security alarms. Now with the Dark Cornish on the job we have very few bugs around. I rarely see them eating from the feeders which makes them cheap to feed. Ours seem to do just fine with the cold weather and are seen running around the yard with all the other chickens during the worst of the winter. One of our broodies hatched out 16 eggs during the winter. They are protective attentive mothers. I would also debate their egg laying abilities as mine have been exceptional layers. They started in June of this year and have laid each at least 5 eggs a week through the winter. One has begun to molt in Jan, 2 are broody, and and the other 4 are still laying just fine. I've read differing opinions, but the strain I received were the exception. I will be getting 50 straight run this spring with the plan to keep the productive hens and put most of the boys in the freezer. Although they are generally kept for show we will keep them as they are a positive addition to our egg laying group and they attack so much attention due to their lovely appearance. They are amazing birds in my opinion.
