best hatchery to purchase dark cornish?

[taxidermist]

hello I posted this question under a different category and did not receive any answers so I figured a good place to start would be here. I am looking to start a small backyard flock and I would like to add some dark Cornish chickens. What is the best hatchery to order from? I don't expect show quality birds but would still like some attractive birds. I would like to keep some on hand to raise for meat and I like that they are a hardy breed that are good foragers and mothers. Ive read that Mcmurray hatchery's birds are good layers but are small? Maybe this was someone's opinion? I've read that ideal and cackle have nice large birds but I have no experience with hatchery's or this breed. Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

[Jerry C]

Hey taxidermist.
well I have been lurking around this forum for about 3 years and read you post and I had to register to reply, so here goes. Last year I ordered 5 Dark Cornish roosters and 12 White Rock hens to breed together in an attempt to raise my own cross for meat. the reason for 5 roosters was to pick the best one of the five for breeder stock. I ordered them from Cackle hatchery and I am very pleased with the birds, both the Rocks and the Dark Cornish for the most part turned out to be big birds. I butchered 4 of the roosters this past Saturday and they were fully filled out,( I didn't weigh them ) they looked just like the Cornish x meat birds that I have raised in the past except they were 8 months old. I will be putting eggs in the incubator in about 2 weeks from now to make sure the eggs will be fertilized buy the rooster that I kept. Hope this helps you decide where you get them from, Cackle Hatchery were great to deal with and I will be using them again.

 

[Jerry C]

Hey Taxidermist I took some pic's of Big Boy for you, hope this helps.

 

[chicksurreal]

I know this is an older thread, but I have to say I'm totally happy with the 13 Dark Cornish that I got from McMurray.

They're only 5 months old right now, all pullets. They are not all the same size, but are all very beautiful and some are very large. A few are smaller, I haven't weighed them yet, I'm waiting until they get older. Beautiful birds and great temperament so far.

Here's a pic for reference.

 

[chicksurreal]

Sorry, i been absent.
My dark cornish that originated from McMurray hatchery were definitely not SOP. They are longer legged and thinner than SOP. But still thicker than standard layers.
they were nice birds.but their colors vary. some roosters had the dark cornish color, others had a partridge pattern. They were extremely slow to reach butchering size. I gave most a way and kept one pair of the better looking birds. They are docile birds that have mixed well with my layer flock.
the hen pecks small holes in her eggs,every day. Im debating selling them. im holding out hoping she'll stop and go broody.

Sorry your experience with McMurray's Dark Cornish wasn't great.

We have 13 DC from them and are very happy. Our's just reached 30 weeks old and we have one who went broody today (I think). She won't leave the nesting box and is sitting on 6-8 eggs. We'll see.

Most of ours are a good size, two are smaller, but I don't mind as we aren't wanting them for meat birds. The DC seem to be the most stable and calm of our diversified flock. I really enjoy the way they look and they are very reliable egg layers.

 

[taxidermist]

That's a good looking bird. Nice broad chest and wide stance.He's definetly cornish but he seems a little different than the true "standard". He stands a bit taller and has more vibrant colors, legs Seem a bit long and although he's stocky he's not quite as square as the standard. No doubt he's a good looking bird but I do see the difference everyone talks about between a hatchery bird and a true"standard".

 

[blucoondawg]

You may have read my posts about McMurrays stock being smaller, that is the experience I have had with mine though I haven't had any DC from them, it does seem some breeds are "bred down" worse than others. I will say my McMurray white rocs are probably the poorest examples I have from them, they lay tiny eggs and the hens are quite small, I wouldn't bother breeding them with anything, however you may have better luck with the DCs hard to say. If I were going to go into a breeding mode for meat birds I would try to find a breeder with a fairly established line, like you say, not show birds but close to the traditionally accepted standards of the breed, I too would like to do this at some point.

I don't know where I saw it, could have been on here or maybe another website, but there was a pic of someone's plain hatchery DC rooster then a pic of one they got from a good breeder, the hatchery rooster more resembled a fat/stocky (normal chicken shape) round bodied hen or rooster, the one from the breeder stood tall with heavy wide legs and a broad muscular chest, that is the rooster I would want for breeding not the mass produced hatchery stock. Problem is good breeders are harder to find and more expensive than the hatcheries. I would recommend if going with a hatchery to get as many birds as you can handle at your place to start with since they are relatively cheap and then cull down to your best examples of type and size for your breeding project. Otherwise if startup cost isn't a big issue go ahead and get stock from good breeders and skip the whole process of trying to breed up good breeding stock.

Cackle has a video on youtube of their breeder flock, gives you an idea of what to expect from them though I have a hard time judging the birds from a flock of like birds with nothing else to compare size etc, here is the link:

 

[Paulyp]

Hey Taxidermist I took some pic's of Big Boy for you, hope this helps.

I love this Rooster! He may not be to standard but, he looks super wide and his legs look long enough for him to still be able to breed his hens. I have a nice DC roo doesn't look quite as impressive as this one but seems to be getting it done!

 

[Jerry C]

Thanks for the comments on Big Boy, he may not be the standard but he's got to be pretty darn close and yes he is very active with hens. I can't wait to see how his offspring turn out.

 

[Jerry C]

I wish you were closer then I could buy some chicks from you

but after they hatch if you consider selling the hatching eggs, let me know.

I may have to order the 15 end April early May when I get a bigger coop.

We will have to see how it goes, never shipped eggs or chicks before maybe we can work something out.