Busting Myths (mostly) about the Cornish Cross

[nicalandia]

I gotta agree with @cassie With so many interesting and varying breeds of chicken out there, why push these bellies with legs to their physical limits? Just because you can? There are multiple threads proving these birds can live slightly different lifestyles than "fast meat" but they are the minuscule exception, and I personally fail to grasp the pleasure one gets in trying to prove that out. But hey, to each their own.

No other breed comes even close to produce the amount of meat in such a short time, even when is done at the backyard level which is not the most productive nor the most efficient way.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No other breed comes even close to produce the amount of meat in such a short time, even when is done at the backyard level which is not the most productive nor the most efficient way.

Nobody is arguing against that, I think you are exactly right. How do Cornish X do as pets or as a part of your laying flock? That's not what they are made for yet some people insist on trying to keep them for those reasons. I'm not talking about people that understand the issues with trying to keep them alive to use them in a breeding program.

 

[nicalandia]

How do Cornish X do as pets or as a part of your laying flock? That's not what they are made for yet some people insist on trying to keep them for those reasons. .

is exceedingly hard to keep them in good shape for breeding, why on earth would someone go to the trouble just to keep is beyond me.

 

[HomesteadNowhere]

Very interesting thread

 

[cassie]

But he has proven it can be done. If they can fly up a tree, they are normal chickens.

Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be. Anyone who thinks Cornish X are like regular chickens either hasn't spent much time with them or they have a very peculiar idea what regular chickens are like. That said, Cornish X remind me of bowling balls on legs.

 

[nicalandia]

That said, Cornish X remind me of bowling balls on legs.

The Fat ones do. The ones saved for breeding should look like a Dual Purpose breed

 

[Tre3hugger]

No other breed comes even close to produce the amount of meat in such a short time, even when is done at the backyard level which is not the most productive nor the most efficient way.

Exactly. That is what they were made for.

 

[cassie]

The Fat ones do. The ones saved for breeding should look like a Dual Purpose breed

Never considered saving any for breeding. Everything I have read says they do not breed true. The only thing I would have liked to have kept one for is a pet. I really like their temperament.

 

[Molpet]

Never considered saving any for breeding. Everything I have read says they do not breed true. The only thing I would have liked to have kept one for is a pet. I really like their temperament.

2016 I kept a CX pullet and bred her to a random mix roo. Most of my flock are descendants of 2 roos from the breeding. Cockerels dress out around 6lbs at 16 weeks

 

[Ridgerunner]

Everything I have read says they do not breed true.

I agree, they do not breed true. You get no arguments from me on that. But how do they breed, assuming you can keep some alive long enough to breed them? They have the genetics for fast meat gain. They are hybrids so you get a mix of genetics when you breed hybrids. They are not consistent, some will gain meat faster than others.

So what happens when you cross two CX, if you can. The same thing that happens when you cross hybrids. Also depends on how many you hatch and how you raise them. A few will be close to the productivity of the CX raised that way. Not a real high percentage, but a few. The others will have less productivity and that will vary between them. Even the worst of the CX crosses should have much better productivity than any from a dual purpose flock.

What happens when you cross a CX with a dual purpose? You are still breeding a hybrid, you will get a variety of results. They will still have some genetics for fast meat production. The best of this cross will not be as productive as a pure CX but even the worst should still be more productive than the pure dual purpose. Maybe by selective breeding you can develop a bird that retains some of the fast meat growth but fewer of the issues in keeping them alive long enough to breed. Maybe eventually something like your own version of a Ranger.

They do not breed true but in practical terms what does "don't breed true" mean to what you are trying to accomplish with your breeding program? They don't suit what I'm trying to accomplish but they might be interesting for some people.