Just curious about meat birds

The Cornish X is no more creepy than a Labradoodle, it is a cross that doesn't breed true the next generation, now granted Cornish are a 4-way cross not just a 2-way but still just selective breeding for specific breeds then hybrid.

It is fine if a person wants dual purpose, or sustainable breed, or prefers a slower growing chicken with different flavor/texture, but that doesn't make Cornish X any less of a chicken.
 
Wow, I have a lot to learn! And your chickens are beautiful! I can't wait to start incubating my own chickens' eggs; I've done it once before, learned a lot, and only hatched seven.

How many generations have you raised? I did a lot of research in the last year to come up with my Barred Rock/ Buff Orpington cross, and I hope it works out all right. I'll probably butcher around 50 a year eventually.

I prefer free ranging birds to the enclosure and all that that I would have to build for Cornish Xs, even if it's only for a short while. And like I said, eggs are a good way for us to pay for the feed, so I don't want any birds that can't give back in that way! I would also love it if my Buffs go broody, less work for me!

Do you use a conventional incubator or are you more into the "build it yourself" like others on the forums on here?
 
I have a Hovabator 1588. I only use it two, at most three times a year, broody hens fill in the gap.

I grew up on a farm with chickens until I left home after high school. I was the one that took care of them and gathered the eggs. I did not have chickens until I retired and moved here in 2007, got the chicks in 2008. So this year’s chickens will be the 8th generation here.

I’ve learned a lot of the technical stuff on this forum but had a good background in taking care of them. I’m still learning. We all have to start somewhere with whatever backgrounds we have. Read all you can but trust what you see more. I’ve learned a lot on their behaviors just by watching them.
 
RR--your buff Rock is a nice looking bird! He should put some size back to your flock for sure. It will be interesting to see what you get color wise with the buff and those speckled hens.

One of my bucket list projects is a buff (probably Orpington) rooster over barred Rock hens. I love the looks of the hens folks have posted here from that cross. If I just had enough space
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Thanks, Rachel. He’s the one I considered best out of 18 from Ideal. He’s not exceptionally tall but he is broad. Some of the ones I butchered weren’t really big but most were very nice. I had trouble choosing between the top three cockerels.

That speckling is a recessive trait so it won’t show up in the next generation. It will be like crossing him with black or red hens. I expect the red to be more orange but, yeah, I’ve seen those photos too with buff crossed to black. That should be interesting. And the genetics are pretty mixed up in these, even if it should pretty much based on Extended Black or Wheaten. I expect some interesting patterns.
 

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