BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[lpatelski]

Dinner time! Dark Cornish game hens Caribbean Jerk style.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Dinner time! Dark Cornish game hens Caribbean Jerk style.

Those look awesome. I like how well balanced those dark cornish are, nice proportion of legs to breast meat.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Those look awesome. I like how well balanced those dark cornish are, nice proportion of legs to breast meat.

Oops seems like I have quoted myself- @lpatelski I forgot to ask, how old were those dark cornish? I assume they dressed out at around a pound a piece (Cornish game hen size?)
That's the size of chicken I am most interested in.

 

[lpatelski]

They were 6 to 8 weeks old. Live weight around 2.5 to 3 pounds. Pullets are more like 8 weeks and cockerels 6 weeks.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

They were 6 to 8 weeks old. Live weight around 2.5 to 3 pounds. Pullets are more like 8 weeks and cockerels 6 weeks.

Perfect! Thanks. That gives me an idea what to breed towards.

 

[Kev]

My last incubator hatch is 4 weeks old this weekend and I'm still thrilled with the results so far. @Kev Do you know if a cushion comb is linked with slow maturation in males? None of my cushion comb chicks are showing wattles that would indicate any of them are male, but one in particular is so large I'm having a hard time believing it's not a cockerel. Here 'he' is:

Monty (pullet? cockerel?) - White Rock/Ameraucana mix = 13.23 ounces @ 4 Wks

Nice chicks! True cushion is genetic rose+pea comb genes in the same bird. Pea comb reduces wattle size all by itself. Do you know where the rose came from for this chick though? Not sure if this is a cross or a cross of rock with Amer mix..?

 

[DesertChic]

Nice chicks! True cushion is genetic rose+pea comb genes in the same bird. Pea comb reduces wattle size all by itself. Do you know where the rose came from for this chick though? Not sure if this is a cross or a cross of rock with Amer mix..?

Mom was pure White Rock. The father is my Ameraucana-mix, though I've never been able to figure out what he's mixed with. His comb has no points, folds, etc at all. It's a perfectly smooth cushion...kind of like a rosebud or strawberry.



I think I figured something out with all of his chicks....there appear to be a line of super fine feathers across the top 1/4 of the comb in all of the chicks that appear to be cockerels, but no line on the ones that appear to be pullets. At least, I'm hoping this is an indicator. Otherwise, I have 3 more cockerels than I thought.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Mom was pure White Rock. The father is my Ameraucana-mix, though I've never been able to figure out what he's mixed with. His comb has no points, folds, etc at all. It's a perfectly smooth cushion...kind of like a rosebud or strawberry.



I think I figured something out with all of his chicks....there appear to be a line of super fine feathers across the top 1/4 of the comb in all of the chicks that appear to be cockerels, but no line on the ones that appear to be pullets. At least, I'm hoping this is an indicator. Otherwise, I have 3 more cockerels than I thought.

Nice looking fellow! And I really like your Rooster Cavaletti.

 

[lpatelski]

Mom was pure White Rock. The father is my Ameraucana-mix, though I've never been able to figure out what he's mixed with. His comb has no points, folds, etc at all. It's a perfectly smooth cushion...kind of like a rosebud or strawberry.



I think I figured something out with all of his chicks....there appear to be a line of super fine feathers across the top 1/4 of the comb in all of the chicks that appear to be cockerels, but no line on the ones that appear to be pullets. At least, I'm hoping this is an indicator. Otherwise, I have 3 more cockerels than I thought.

Look at those colors! Dark mahogany, gold, orange, black.

 

[Kev]

Mom was pure White Rock. The father is my Ameraucana-mix, though I've never been able to figure out what he's mixed with. His comb has no points, folds, etc at all. It's a perfectly smooth cushion...kind of like a rosebud or strawberry.



I think I figured something out with all of his chicks....there appear to be a line of super fine feathers across the top 1/4 of the comb in all of the chicks that appear to be cockerels, but no line on the ones that appear to be pullets. At least, I'm hoping this is an indicator. Otherwise, I have 3 more cockerels than I thought.

Ah! Very likely he really is genetic cushion- rose and pea combination. That will reduce the wattles for sure.. his comb also relatively small. It would be too easy for some of his sons to appear pullety when compared to cockerels with different comb types.

It is very interesting his comb is 'hairy' and let's see if that is a sex-determined thing..