Cornish Cross sexual maturity and can they breed?

[greyfields]

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[Omniskies]

Keeping back the largest would be great, but I was concerned they'd have the most health problems. I'd rather have a smaller godzilla bird that survives and lays fertile eggs than the best of the best who will have a heart attack a few months down the line.

Though, I suppose I could try keeping back a few of both and try my luck.

 

[greyfields]

No, the largest at 8 weeks. Weigh them. The largest one at 12 weeks may be a different bird.

 

[Omniskies]

Oh, whoops. I see what you're saying now and it sounds great. I'll do that and see what I come up with.

 

[shnookey]

I was hoping to keep this guy for breeding... But at one month old he is already 5 lbs... Not sure he will make it to breeding age. And even if he does, I am afraid he will be too big to do the deed!

 

[Omniskies]

I've heard that free range is the way to go to keep them active. The cornish cross I have right now have been penned up so I don't have high hopes for them. Now that our weather is finally warming up (sort of) I may be able to move them into larger pen to get in some exercise.

Would it be better to save back a cornish hen or a rooster? Being able to hold back one rooster to breed to multiple females is ideal, but will he be able to do his job effectively?

I shouldn't even be asking these questions. Adding this to my list would put me at three chicken breeding programs going on at the same time

 

[greyfields]

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I agree. Just like humans, a lot of exercise will strengthen their hearts. Also, the extra forage they get from bugs will provide more calcium and phosphorou which they need.

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Never use a mixbreed sire. You can hold back a hen and put a purebred sire on her to see what happens. Remember breeding cornish cross to cornish cross doe not yield a cornish cross.

 

[shnookey]

I was wanting to breeda cronish X to Cornish X to use hte babies for eating... If Cornish X with Cornish X does not yield Cornish X babies, then what does it yield? And will they still be good for meat?

 

[silkiechicken]

If you can get it to work, you will get a mix of big and small, but nothing truly consistent. They will be bigger than store birds.. but I personally have no interest in feeding such large adult birds who have a propensity to die.

 

[greyfields]

The results will be a random assortment of birds. They won't have the explosive growth that their parents exhibit, as there is no heterosis as with the initially pairing.