Bantam Cornish, anyone?

[Ariel301]

Does anyone have bantam Cornish? I just recently learned that they exist! I'd love to hear about them. How are they as a meat bird or egg layer? What is their personality like? How noisy are they? Share pictures of your birds and eggs if you have them.

 

[Msbear]

I really like them as well. They're called the bulldogs of poultry. I've held them at shows. They are extremely heavy but I think they take a while to mature so maybe not the most economical choice for a meat bird. The SQ ones can have problems mating too. And I think they are moderately aggressive toward eachother.

Im interested in knowing if my assumptions are correct and what others may have to say.

 

[hippichick]

I've got a pair of bantam Dark Cornish. Bulldogs of poultry is very fitting. It still amazes me when I pick them up how solid they are. They're very cool-looking birds. I've only got the one pair, and they're not aggressive at all. I have yet to get any babies from them. I hatched one chick a few months ago, and it died right after hatching. Just not sure what's going on. There was a thread awhile back, there are a few people here who raise them. Here is the thread.https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=243086&p=1
Hope it works.

 

[Ariel301]

I don't mind about them taking a while to reach eating size, that's what I expect. I'm looking to start a flock of dual-purpose bantam sized birds (I'll be crossbreeding several types to end up with 'custom' mutts eventually) that I can get eggs from and also eat, that are compact enough to keep in a small pen, but also have a good personality for free-ranging in an area with a fairly large predator population. The bantam cornish catch my eye, as well as old english games. (for that 'game' personality, good for self-defense) A bit of aggression would be welcomed, as long as it is not out of hand. I'll be going with hatchery birds, so fertility probably isn't a huge issue there. I just want to be sure that I can get enough eggs to satisfy my husband and I, and have enough extras for hatching and sharing some with friends.

I was originally going to do this with large fowl, but decided that I realistically don't have the room for the 40 or so birds I'd need to keep around at any time, since members of my family are concerned with noise, mess, and smell they would produce. Bantams would reduce that quite a bit.

I'll check out the link, hippiechick. Keep trying on the hatching...I'm sure you'll get something eventually.

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

Quote:
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.

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
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.

 

[Msbear]

I've heard of them having fertility problems... wasn't sure what the cause ...just have heard it.

Good Luck, Hippie..

Btw, nice avatar. Im buying a cockerel from Lynne this Spring and, when I was trying to describe to her, what I was looking for, I emailed her the pic of yours

I knew he came from her... and, of course, I found a beautiful look a like in her boys pen

 

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Quote:
There are four types of chickens; layers of eggs for consumption, meat chickens, dual (really "neither") purpose and ornamentals. Maybe fighting games deserve a class too. All bantams certainly belong in the ornamental class.
I have always thought however, that our Rhode Island Red bantams make reasonable layers of small to medium size eggs. But Cornish bantams for meat - it is like grinding up deboned mouse meat to make imitation elephant burgers.

 

[newchickmom09]

I don't know anything about them so I looked them up real quick and they look so cute. I think the Bulldog nick name fits them well short and stocky. It looks like you might have to cook a couple of the bantams to be able to make a meal out of them. With that in mind I don't know if I would just go for the standard size. Maybe someone who raises them and knows more will chime in a say how there weigh varries from standard to bantam. If the bantams are half the weight of the standards then you could just go for the standards if you are just wanting them for meat, see what I am saying. But I don't know anything about them.

Here are pics of them: http://feathersite.com/Poultry/CGA/Cornish/BRKCornish.html

 

[Chickenaddict]

I know nothing about them at all but thought it would be neat to have a few roaming around my yard. There is a kid local here who is selling a flock of white cornish bantam hens, if I had quarentine quarters open I'd snatch them up in a heartbeat. I like that stocky look