Bantam Cornish, anyone?

[NYREDS]

How are they as a meat bird or egg layer?

Years ago when my daughters were still interested in chickens I bought a pair of Whites for my oldest -she liked their looks. Kept the pair for a year & got 3 eggs. One hatched. They were nice Cornish but it seemed like building a flock was going to take a little too long.​

 

[hippichick]

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I've heard the same about the fertility problems. But I know Hidden Magnolia used to raise them, and I think they did very well for her. I really love the birds, it's just crazy that I can't get any to hatch. I'd love to raise them-they're such cool birds.

Oh, and thanks for the compliment. He's my favorite Millie roo. He's a looker, that's for sure. Lynne's got awesome birds.

 

[WyandotteTX]

Have raised White Laced Red, Darks, Whites, Blues and LF Darks. They were all really good birds. They layed very well and good fertility and the males were much more calm than the Wyandotte or Langshan bantam males that I had at the same time. I would say they had the most personality of anything we raised. The males especially were just full of it and really entertaining. The LF Darks were hatchery stock and were the best birds we have ever bought from a hatchery. They were rangey birds more Asil looking than typical SQ Cornish but they laid exceptionally well and they had good markings as well. We kept 15 hens and would get anywhere from 12-15 eggs a day from them. They were voracious foragers when allowed to free range. If anything moved they were on it(including my mothers toe one day when she was wearing sandals haha).

 

[hippichick]

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Years ago when my daughters were still interested in chickens I bought a pair of Whites for my oldest -she liked their looks. Kept the pair for a year & got 3 eggs. One hatched. They were nice Cornish but it seemed like building a flock was going to take a little too long.

That's kinda what I'm thinking, but as long as I've got a free cage, I'll keep trying. I'm getting eggs, but just no chicks. I'd be happy if I got ONE to hatch! And, isn't that white one beautiful?

 

[big medicine]

Just curious if anybody, or know of anybody, that still raise blue laced red cornish bantams? Have not seen any for years.

I remember seeing silver laced cornish batams at the Ohio National maybe 20 years ago. Anybody know their status?

 

[Msbear]

There are a couple fellas around my neck of the woods.. MD I believe. I always see him selling them at the Frederick and VA shows. He does pretty well in the show ring too. Tigg.. I think or something like that.. Lemme check it out.

 

[Ariel301]

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So it sounds like the large fowl cornish were good layers for you, then, Wyandotte? Hmm...maybe I should go back to my plan of getting full sized birds, and just have to narrow down how many I will keep. I do like the look of the cornish, in both sizes.

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

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Never had any trouble with my show birds mating. Mine are not any more aggressive than any other bird.

Ariel301 general speaking they are very calm easy going birds. Mine will follow me all over the chicken yard. They mate naturally. They do not lay as much as an laying breeds but they do lay steady. My pullets are laying right now. I will know if they are fertile.

Was wondering if you'd chime in. I candled a couple of my Cornish eggs today, and nothing--just clear. It's getting quite frustrating. I'm determined to hatch some of these eggs.

Paula we always wait for the weather to get hot to hatch eggs from a rooster over two. They do better in the hot weather. The young roosters are fertile in the colder weather. We ate a lot young culls they we knew we would not show. They are very good eating. I have not candled my eggs yet. Will let you know when I do if fertile.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Forgive me if this was already discussed, but if I were to keep a banty Cornish on a restricted diet, and they had access to partial free-range, could I potentially keep one with my mixed flock successfully? As in, one could get along with my birds and live a longer, natural life without slaughter?

 

[Ryu]

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My exhibition large fowl Cornish are free range/free feed with the laying flock for most of the year. They don't have any problems if they have enough room to move and exercise. They don't really mingle with fast moving birds, but they have their own group of 5 mating pairs. If it was bantam in with large fowl, I don't think that would work very well. That and Cornish do prefer to pair up, so I would keep a male and female if at all possible.