Cornish Cross sexual maturity and can they breed?

[shnookey]

bummer. Looks like we will be eating my sweet roo after all then. I was hoping we could make productive use out of him as sweet as he is.

 

[greyfields]

I mean if you like the bird, keep him. At some level he contains the genetics for large meaty birds; whereas keeping a cockrel from a laying breed you are choosing a sire which has been selected for egg laying ability. But, you are doing it rather backwards. You need to keep the hens and use a purebred sire, rather than the other way around.

I guess, I was perhaps strong in my comments because like 90% of people on here think if you breed a Cornish Cross the resultant is a Cornish Cross. They don't understand they are hybrids and the growth rate is caused through "hybrid vigor".

For you, if you are serious about doing it, you are probably better off starting with a Cornish Cross than say a Leghorn.

 

[RedStickLA]

Hi! I have some Questions...

I am giving a try at growing out some meat birds for the first time this spring. I have 5 Cornish Rocks and 6 Dark Cornish. All are from Ideal.

From what I understand on this thread is that if I wanted to hatch my own Cornish Rocks...I would cross a Cornish Roo with White Rock hens. Is that correct? Would the chicks be fast growing Cornish Rocks like I purchased from Ideal? Or is it a specific cross/blood line that was developed to make the fast growing Cornish rocks?

I have White Rock hens...could I keep one of the Dark Cornish roos to cross with them? Would I at least get something close to the Cornish Rocks you get from the hatcheries?
Thanks!
Mitzi

 

[greyfields]

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It's what we're here for. Except, by the time I post this Silkiechicken or MissPrissy will have already replied.

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Which are pullets/cockrels?

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In an abstract sense, yes you are correct. In a practical sense, the parent 'breeds' of Cornish and Rock the broiler industry uses have been selectively bred for 40+ years for certain qualities. The parent strains they use do not much resemble the kind of birds we see in the backyard and it's hard to even call them the same breed really.

But yes, if you have a Cornish Sire and a Rock dame, you can certainly make your own "Cornish Crosses". They just won't have nearly the agressive genetics the commercial broilers do.

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No. But they will still outpace any purebreed you own due to heterosis. I've done this and the results weren't bad. The breast just generally comes out thinner and narrower than from a commercial broiler, and of course they take a couple extra weeks.

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Correct. Very specific bloodlines (genetics) are used to create the broilers, which are actually double crosses from multiple strains of Cornish & Rock.

Consider also that all the birds you get from any hatchery are going to be selected along egg production lines, since 90%+ of people buying chickens retail are doing so for egg production. So, the genese you get in your Dark Cornish have probably been selected for egg production rather than meat... and of course, probably every 'purebreed' you get will have been outcrossed with Leghorns at some point in time to increase egg yield.


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Absolutely. You really can do it and it's enjoyable. I love science experiments than end in a good quality meal (or better yet alcohol).

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Close, yes. Different yes. Your own crosses will be far less aggressively programed for growth. This is a good thing as you probabyl will get far better vigor, disease resistance, foraging ability, etc. from them as you would a commercial broiler.

 

[RedStickLA]

Thanks Greyfields for answering my questions!
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Which are pullets/cockrels?

I ordered St. Run so I have pullets and cockerels of both breeds.

You helped me make up my mind... I am going to keep a Dark Cornish cockerel to breed with my white rock hens and see what I get. Most of my family likes dark meat so the breast being thinner and narrower than a commercial broiler may not even be an issue for us. Do they have big drumsticks and thighs?

Mitzi

 

[greyfields]

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Just to be clear a "Dark Cornish" is referring to the color of the plumage, not the meat. So it will have the same ammount of dark meat as any other breed... but compared with an industrially raised chicken it will have more dark meat, as it will have actually used its muscles and thus has more myoglobin in the tissues.

Also, keep two cockrels. Accidents do happen, trust me.

 

[silkiechicken]

For all the dark meat lovers, just pick out all the birds who aren't sprinters, and rather long distance runners. Those will have more slow twitch fibers which are the "dark meat."

And yes. Two roos is a good idea... I lost my head roo once, and my so said the hens looked like a active extremest feminist group. LOL No offense to feminists.

 

[RedStickLA]

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LOL Yes I know a "Dark Cornish" is referring to the color of the plumage and not the meat...I said that because you said that the breast generally comes out thinner and narrower than from a commercial broiler...and my family likes drumsticks and thighs the best so if the breast is not as large it would not be a big deal.

Thank you greyfield and silkiechicken on the info about the dark meat...I did not know that by growing out our own birds they would have more dark meat on them...My husband is going to be happy to hear that.

As far as keeping two roos...I am going to have to think about that. I know it is a good idea but I already have too many roos

so I am not sure if I will or not.
Thank y'all!
Mitzi

 

[greeneggsandham]

I have a question. I was given a CornishX hen who is 9 months old. She is big, but was on free range and still gets plenty of exercise at my farm. I was also given some Salmon Faverolle roosters and would like to take one of the SF roos and her to see if they will breed. I'm almost positive she is laying as I have been getting an egg everyother day that is huge. What do you all think? Jenn

 

[shnookey]

My personal vote is, if she is laying, why not?! lol But I like to experiment.