Cobb 500 broiler crosses

[newkidondblock]

So has anyone tried crossing a broiler chicken like the Cobb 500 with heritage breeds to create a new fast growing meat chicken which addresses potential flaws associated with the Cobb 500 itself?

I have some Cobb 500 broilers which were rescued from a crate falling off a truck transporting them (most likely on their way to slaughter house). I also have Brahma, Araucana, Ayam Sumatra, Australorps and Orpingtons.

I want to cross a Cobb 500 with an Australorp rooster and also cross a Cobb 500 with a Brahma rooster. Then I want to breed the offspring together.

I am hoping to create a large breasted bird that grows quick and has strong bony frame (like the Brahma) with long legs.

Anyone have any comments or recommendations?

 

[Sara S]

I had delewares, they grew fast and were big my biggest hen was 11 lbs!

 

[Sara S]

post some pics of ur chicks too!

 

[nicalandia]

So has anyone tried crossing a broiler chicken like the Cobb 500 with heritage breeds to create a new fast growing meat chicken which addresses potential flaws associated with the Cobb 500 itself?

I have some Cobb 500 broilers which were rescued from a crate falling off a truck transporting them (most likely on their way to slaughter house). I also have Brahma, Araucana, Ayam Sumatra, Australorps and Orpingtons.

I want to cross a Cobb 500 with an Australorp rooster and also cross a Cobb 500 with a Brahma rooster. Then I want to breed the offspring together.

I am hoping to create a large breasted bird that grows quick and has strong bony frame (like the Brahma) with long legs.

Anyone have any comments or recommendations?

This has been done before, many people are working with crosses.

 

[Molpet]

Most of my flock is out of a CX pullet I kept.
Cockerels dress out around 6 lb at 16 weeks.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I used a single CX hen in my culling project with a number of other birds (including a couple Brahma hens). Offspring size was hit or miss, about 50/50 on good growth in a short timeframe. I'm now in the process of culling out many of the CX offspring to remove the "white", which is undesired in my long term goals, while many of the Brahma crosses remain. Brahma are such slow growers, that only a few would avoid the cull (by also possessing the fast growth gene) if not for the fact that I desire to eliminate white more than the removal of any other trait.

Honestly, given all the problems Brahma are for me, in my climate, I'd not have used them at all except that I love their pattern, and when buying birds at the start of COVID, i could buy what was in stock (if it was in stock!) or I could make the 1 hour drive each way for nothing...

 

[NatJ]

...create a new fast growing meat chicken which addresses potential flaws associated with the Cobb 500 itself?...

...create a large breasted bird that grows quick and has strong bony frame (like the Brahma) with long legs....

The broilers have been bred to grow as much meat as possible, so if you try to improve any other trait, you will lose some of their ability to grow meat quickly.

Brahmas are known for their big frames, and their size (including meat) at maturity. But they are also known for slow growth. They spend months working on that great big frame, before they start putting much meat on it.

(I'm not trying to talk you out of the project, just pointing out something to consider as you make your plans.)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Here's a miss from today's culling. 4.51# hen, age about 28 weeks. Look at the foot color - not yet laying. One of the risks of crossing with the fast growth broilers - you can end up with offspring that aren't fast growth AND are slow to come into lay.

I had more to say about her insides on my culling project page - she had a little more fat subcutaneous and on the organs than I like to see in my free ranged birds - not dangerous levels, but enough to confirm I was slightly overfeeding last month. Pictures of her, disrobed, over there for those interested.

Also, her somewhat heavier brother/cousin/something from an earlier hatch. He was just starting to show interest in the girls and had somewhat developed testes (no photo of those) - he didn't have extra fat, likely from the energy spent running in attempting to jump a girl, then running away before one of the dominant males arrived to stop him).

 

[RoosterML]

I have not done it. Not interested in doing so as of right now. BUT I do not believe you will get what you want out of just crowding CX with heritage. You will have to take those offspring and cross them
Back again to CX likely another 2 generations before you get something I think you would be happy with. I personally would start with a CX Roo over a heritage hen. Take the Roo from thOse chicks and cross to a CX hen. Take both sets of offsprings and cross to each other. Oh boy what a project that would be. I’m not even sure I remember what I was doing to begin with

 

[Molpet]

I have not done it. Not interested in doing so as of right now. BUT I do not believe you will get what you want out of just crowding CX with heritage. You will have to take those offspring and cross them
Back again to CX likely another 2 generations before you get something I think you would be happy with. I personally would start with a CX Roo over a heritage hen. Take the Roo from thOse chicks and cross to a CX hen. Take both sets of offsprings and cross to each other. Oh boy what a project that would be. I’m not even sure I remember what I was doing to begin with

Most of the CX roos have too big of breasts to breed naturally, have to use A.I.