cornish cross ROO lucky fella ;)

[SteveH]

Several of us have succeded at keeping CX pullets to breeding age and getting crosses
[ https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=316007 ]
but the roos I used were too large to get in the proper position for the "kiss" on the much smaller hens I sought to cross. [I'm trying to produce large, quick growing, Cornish bodied, blue egg layers.] Controlled diet is a must to get them to breeding age and healthy.

ETA: If I were going to use CX roos again, they would be penned seperately from the hens with one day conjugal visits............. and A.I. would have to be considered..................... keeping CX rationed to control size and health is nearly impossible when feeding other chickens in the same pen.............. and even then their productive lifespan is still limited to about one year.

 

[galanie]

I was reading about Orpingtons yesterday, and one thing in that book that this reminds me of, is that it was stated a hen rarely has a chick that ends up bigger than she is. It was stated that in order to get bigger birds overall, the hen needs to be big, and yes, the roo should either be big or of big stock, but that the hen MUST be large or you'll not get a bigger bird.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
I agree. It surely can be done.