are cornish x natural?

[kfacres]

If we base our opinions on how well they can survive in the wild, then a lot of our modern dog breeds are freaks as well.

almost every modern thing availble.. livestock or pets.

for that matter- I think a good majority of the USA human population could be considered 'freaks'. How many of them can live off the land-- and by which I mean not go to town to buy shells, bug dust, tillers, and the big one- gas...?

 

[Contrary]

Why would a Commercial Broiler not be "natural". The birds are simply the result of naturally breeding the best birds to achieve a specific result. In the case of these birds it is meat yield and feed conversion. How is this any different than Rhode Island Red breeders selecting red birds with single combs to get the best colored bird.

Jim

Agree. Furthermore, it is quite sustainable to the people who own the breeding stock.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Yes, CX grow fast. That's what I like about them.

I pay a lot of $ for feed and when I watch them eat a lot, it makes me happy to see them visibly growing so I am getting something in return for all the expensive feed.

My Pekin ducks were all over 8 pounds at the age of 8 weeks. I wonder if all of you think Pekin ducks are also "freaks"

 

[booker81]

I don't think CX are more freaky or unnatural than any other specifically selected breed or hybrid. Lots of hybrids are useful and "natural". Think of where society would be if we didn't have mules. Hybrids aren't evil or unnatural, just different, and some of those differences can be quite useful.

As for the muscling and growth, it's an existing characteristic, and it's present in many other species. Look at Piedmontese or Belgian Blue cattle. It's not limited poultry, and isn't some gross human invention.

In the end, the meat fibers of a CX at 8 weeks and the meat fibers of a Brahman at 8 weeks are the same make up, same chemistry. The CX just has a heck of a lot more of them.

 

[Sundown_Farmer]

Quote:
No, I think Pekins are awesome. They breed true, they get a high percentage of their diet from grass and they are good to eat. How do we pluck them though?

 

[kfacres]

plucking is for the birds, and the city slickers who want that 'flavor'...

we skin nearly everything around here, don't have all day to waste messing with plucking

 

[Oregon Blues]

I am not a city slicker and I pluck every bird butchered at my place. So sorry for anyone who prefers their food without "flavor". How dull their diet must be.

I pluck ducks by scalding, place them in the plucker, and then use duck wax if they happen to be at an age when they have a lot of pin feathers.

 

[Pele]

This is a really interesting discussion. I've tried raising both Cornish Crosses and Freedom Ranger type birds, and I have to say that I feel the latter is more 'natural' (in my own definition of it anyway).

I personally didn't feel like I was being a good steward of animals by enabling a system that produced an animal unwilling/unable to move from it's own filth other than to engorge on more food. Frankly, it was depressing to even look at them. They did produce meat that was higher quality than what I could get in the stores, but not enough to make it seem worth it.

The freedom rangers were an entirely better experience. They did take longer, but they clearly had the capacity and enjoyed doing normal 'natural' chicken things. They didn't sit in their own filth and just heave themselves up to go eat all day. They ran about, ate bugs, could breed, and did normal chicken activities. And in the end, they yielded sweeter and more delicious meat than the Cornish Xs did. It was very interesting, as I wasn't expecting the difference at all.

When I start a meat flock again, I'll definitely use the Freedom Rangers, and I'll sustain them permenantly. No going back to the big commercial giants, hat in hand, every year for more. That's what feels 'natural' to me.