Dark Cornish-White Rock cross?

[lpatelski]

Hi,I am new to the forum. I have been crossing purebred LF Dark Cornish(show stock, not from McMurrays) with the Cornish Roaster hens from McMurrays. I have my first chicks on the ground. I was surprised to see the Dark Cornish coloration coming through on a few of the birds. Most are white with a few spots of dark feathering. Very good bone and heavy bodies. I have more pictures of the darker chicks- they are older.

The smaller chick drinking is a pure Dark Cornish.
mom is on the right. The other big/fat hen will probably never lay eggs. I limit fed them from 4 weeks up to 16 weeks. Then slowly increased the feed to allow for maturity. Just like you would a Broiler Breeder. The Roosters upon maturity died. They just are not meant to be breeders, so I went with the Dark Cornish Roo below.

"BamBam" with his ladies in waiting - Dark Cornish hens: Maid Marion and Guinevere.BamBam at 10 months.

I just love the Dark Cornish hen feathers. I hope your Meaty Bird project turns out well. I will update my post when the white brids mature a little more.

 

[kfacres]

I've just now found someone willing to ship me some eggs and they are pure white large fowl cornish from one of the older breeders that raised and showed them many years ago. It won't be until next spring now until any would be old enough to breed with but the search was worth it.

Don't know where you are from, but I can't be far from you. We dispersed our Cornish early this summer. Had 3 colors of them. For the right money, I might be able to find some of them for a meat bird project again.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

kfacres,,I live on the far eastern side of Illinois south of Watseka,,if that helps?Yes I'm interested if you want to pm me more info?

 

[frenchblackcopper]

kfacres,,I live on the far eastern side of Illinois south of Watseka,,if that helps?Yes I'm interested if you want to pm me more info?

 

[kfacres]

kfacres,,I live on the far eastern side of Illinois south of Watseka,,if that helps?Yes I'm interested if you want to pm me more info?

I live in Decatur. Long story, but there is a trio of whites at my parents in Mt. Vernon. They are living it large, free range, and I'm not sure if even still alive. 2 big medicine bloodline white Cornish hens, and a F1 white Cornish/ CX cock. They've been intermingled with their flock since May.

 

[lpatelski]

Okay I have a good idea of what my Dark Cornish over White Cornish X will look like. Good bone, dressed out at 6+ pounds around 12 weeks. Nice little birds. Sexlinked - males born all white, females born white with black body spots.

the little pullet pictured above is more mature now and turned Lavender:

 

[MamaKitty913]

Please do up date as I too have cornish female that I thought would make a good cross with the dark Cornish or my barred rock also was going to put a Delaware from MMC stock to see my "meat birds" project to provide a great bird that dresses out with a bigger breast.Thanks
.p

 

[JRNash]

how old is your cornish(Cx?)female?

 

[lpatelski]

Lavenia was hatched on 8/26/2015 and is 16 weeks old today. This pic was taken on 11/21/15 which made her 12 1/2 weeks old. She is 6 pounds.

These young birds range four to five weeks. Nice full breast and legs.

Both my Dark Cornish and my McMurray Cornish Roaster hen have very full breast muscles.

I will not be over selecting for a super heavy breast muscle trait.


Turn away from the next pic below if you are easily grossed out...















The picture below is what happens when your stock grows up with too much breast muscle and not enough blood supply. It is called Deep pectoral myopathy (DPM) is a degenerative muscle disease of heavy chickens and turkeys commonly referred to as 'Green Muscle Disease'. The muscle actually dies and turns this nasty green. I found this muscle defect in both my cockerels from McMurrays that died as their hormones surged. That is when I purchased BamBam, my pure Dark Cornish and crossed him with the Cornish Roaster pullets. I culled one of the hens. She would just gorge herself(bred for appetite). Eventually she just got too fat, a trait I am not looking to breed-in. I like leaner chicken. When I processed her, she too had a small amount of DPM.



Pebbles is the little pullet I am watching now, hatched on 10/13/2015-really nice bone. She weighed 4 pounds at 7 1/2 weeks. She is a little over 9 weeks now. I need to update the post with a fresh pic and weight.

 

[ijon]

Good job on your mad science project. Some good looking birds with some good weights.