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cornish

post #1 of 16
11/21/11 at 11:35am
Thread Starter 

How well do dark cornish forage. I'll be getting them from cackle hatchery.


Edited by fowlsessed - 11/21/11 at 3:48pm

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"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

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post #2 of 16
11/21/11 at 3:49pm
Thread Starter 

barnie No one has an answer? Any experiances raising them on forage?

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

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post #3 of 16
11/22/11 at 4:38am

Mine seems to forage just fine. In fact, she's better at getting to the buggies than my others are I think.

== Easy incubator wiring chart: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65925 Installing a thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html
Love those Orps!

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== Easy incubator wiring chart: http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=65925 Installing a thermostat: http://cmfarm.us/WHTincubator.html
Love those Orps!

I don't care why the chicken crossed the road, as long as mine don't!

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post #4 of 16
11/22/11 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 

Thanks, were did you get them from.

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply
post #5 of 16
11/22/11 at 10:11am

I have one dark Cornish hen that I got as a rescue and told she was from McMurray.
Of any of the hatcheries that sell the dark Cornish I like McMurray's description of them the best.
But, anyway, she is a very good forager and quite smart.

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post #6 of 16
11/22/11 at 11:01am
Thread Starter 

I agree, there description of them is what sealed the deal with me wanting some. lol. Some other ones say they don't do well.That is why I was wondering.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee 

I have one dark Cornish hen that I got as a rescue and told she was from McMurray.
Of any of the hatcheries that sell the dark Cornish I like McMurray's description of them the best.
But, anyway, she is a very good forager and quite smart.

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply
post #7 of 16
11/22/11 at 11:34am

Yes, I guess McMurray has their own "strain"? idunno

Quote:
Originally Posted by fowlsessed 

I agree, there description of them is what sealed the deal with me wanting some. lol. Some other ones say they don't do well.That is why I was wondering.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee 

I have one dark Cornish hen that I got as a rescue and told she was from McMurray.
Of any of the hatcheries that sell the dark Cornish I like McMurray's description of them the best.
But, anyway, she is a very good forager and quite smart.


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post #8 of 16
11/22/11 at 1:26pm

Galanie, what percent of your Cornish' diet is forage?  Do they subsist on that alone?

I'm no expert on the breed, but everything I've ever read about Cornish says they aren't generally the best foragers--certainly can't rely on foraging for the mainstay of their diet.  They are big, heavy birds that aren't very active and yet require a good deal of nourishment.  Not the best breed to be turned loose and left to take care of themselves.

I wouldn't rely solely on hatchery breed descriptions...they want to make every breed sound like the one you need.
I'd also be suspect if one description was different than others you may have read.

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post #9 of 16
11/22/11 at 1:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GardenState38 

Galanie, what percent of your Cornish' diet is forage?  Do they subsist on that alone?

I'm no expert on the breed, but everything I've ever read about Cornish says they aren't generally the best foragers--certainly can't rely on foraging for the mainstay of their diet.  They are big, heavy birds that aren't very active and yet require a good deal of nourishment.  Not the best breed to be turned loose and left to take care of themselves.

I wouldn't rely solely on hatchery breed descriptions...they want to make every breed sound like the one you need.
I'd also be suspect if one description was different than others you may have read.


We have Dark Cornish for meat birds. Hatchery stock, from Ideal.

They get perhaps 10 lbs of feed per week split between them and our turkeys. They have 10 acres to free range on. I've found with the cornish they're as active as they have to be. We raise them on practically nothing and they are very lean, look almost like oriental birds. The last two weeks before processing we keep them in the run and stuff them with feed. The gain weight quite nicely. Good muscle and a nice layer of fat.

You do have to wait longer for them to mature. We process at 26-30 weeks. Very narrow birds in the beginning! Then they hit maturity and *poof* They're twice as wide. Well worth the wait.

      My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.
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      My spelling is Wobbly. It's good spelling but it Wobbles, and the letters get in the wrong places.
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post #10 of 16
11/22/11 at 1:55pm
Thread Starter 

That is good info. Thanks

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply

"The greatest fear for the future is that we forget the way God has led us in the past"
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest until your good is better and your better is best"

 

Someone died so you wouldn't have to, have you said thank you?

 

 

 

Reply
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