Breeding Project: Ranger x Cornish cross

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Hello everyone. As the title says I am breeding my Ranger rooster to my two Cornish Cross pullets. I am just about to separate the Cx from the Ranger pullets so I can make sure I am getting the correct eggs. I am very excited to see what this produces. Maybe nothing special, potentially some good heavy meat birds. I will be very interested in rate of growth and breast size especially. My rangers had less breast than the cornish x of course. I was still pleased with the rangers.

I know there are others on here doing projects similar. I hope we can keep in touch on how the different crosses do.

BTW i've been reading on some of the other threads like this. One person said they are the same as any other flock except they don't roost, well mine do roost. They are exactly the same as my other chickens, in behavior and all...except they look like draft horses with their thick legs and huge chests.

My Rooster

My Cornish Cross Pullets

Hangin with the Ranger pullets

 

[Kim_NC]

Very nice looking birds! Love the draft horse analogy for the Rangers. LOL

I'll be watching this thread - because I've thought of trying the same thing this year. We're starting our Cornish X for the season on April 19th, and planning Freedom Rangers for the Summer.

Do you have your Cornish X pullets on a 'diet'? And would you post some pics of their eggs? We raise them every year, but I've never kept any to laying age.

Thanks.

Edit: typos

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Thank you. I think the Cornish cross are also lovely as adult birds. They DO go through this really ugly stage, worse than a regular chicken I think. My Cx are also my most docile and handleable of all my birds. (and not because they dont' move quickly either LOL) They just have nice temperaments.

I will post pics as soon as I am getting eggs that I know for sure are Cx eggs. I'm making a pen within my chicken pen today and giving the Cx girls an Extra Large plastic storage bin to lay/sleep in. I already have some laying in it and I suspect its them by the size of the eggs. I will post pics as soon as I am done.

My Cx and Rangers have been on the same feed schedule since I got them. I did free feeding 24 hours till they were four weeks old and then fed generously twice a day when free ranging was also available after the age of four weeks. My Cx never acted any different than the other chickens I have, they were hungrier but learned to scratch around and forage for food along with my Rangers. They have been a pleasure to own.

Now my chickens are fed twice a day a of layer and scratch 2/1 ratio. On the days I let them free range I only feed once a day because they eat more free ranging than when I feed them myself. I free range when I can. Sometimes, depending on predator issues and when I am home, I might only free range them for three hours twice a week. Other times I free range them five hours every other day. Because I have had really bad predator issues I watch them closely and make sure I don't have to leave my house when they are ranging!

 

[Soccer Mom]

I'm so glad to see someone else whose CX roost! People always act like I'm crazy when I say that mine do. I have little roosts in the tractor and they love them. I think it builds strong feet and legs. Good luck with your cross.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

I will get pics of my chickens roosting tonight after dark. I wanted to get some last night but my digital was MIA. I was concerned about the roosts and the meat birds so I put really deep straw in my coop to allow them to land safely. So far I have not had any injuries and honestly after all this time I would be surprised if I did start getting injuries on my birds.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

very curious about the age and weights of you CX and your Ranger Roo.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

I think my roo is about 11 pounds and just under a year, my Cx are under a year too. Idk about the weights on them for sure I'll see if my husband will indulge me in the next couple days and let me hand the birds to him while he's on the scale LOL

 

[alabamachick]

I'm so glad to see someone else who is using their Cx for more than just dinner! Although, they will probably be there eventually?

I LOVE my CXs, they are indeed the MOST friendly of all my chickens! Mine also Roost at night, Right next to my other chickens. I actually have a 6-7 wk old that has adopted my two EE 4wk olds. They sleep under her everynight, and follow her around during the day.

I will be very interested to see how this thread goes!

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Here are two pics taken tonight of my Cx roosting with my other chickens, rangers and one lone RIR pullet. LOL

The roosts look like they are bowing under the weight of the chickens but they aren't. We used natural tree branches for roosts and its the natural curvature of the branches used.

enjoy!

 

[1acrefarm]

That project sounds really interesting to me. Those are some nice looking birds. Never would have guessed meaties could be so nice. Like the natural perches as well.