Cornish Hens

[little_grey_bantam]

I was wondering...
I wanted to raise some just because I was curious...

When do Cornish Rock Hens begin laying eggs?
Do they do alright as other regular chickens?
How big are their eggs?

I was wanting just to raise some to see the results and keep them around as "pets" for a little while; read a few posts and it says they actually reach maturity to be capable of laying eggs? Can you eat them even after their 8 week date? Is the meat good? Stringy? Tasty? LOL

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

I wish I knew all of the answers for you. I read in my book (Storey's poultry breeds,)wonderful book B.T.W. that they will lay, hatch and are very good mothers. Most chickens start to lay at about 6-7 months....some earlier. depending on the type and time of year also.

 

[dancingbear]

D'Angelo N Va. :

I wish I knew all of the answers for you. I read in my book (Storey's poultry breeds,)wonderful book B.T.W. that they will lay, hatch and are very good mothers. Most chickens start to lay at about 6-7 months....some earlier. depending on the type and time of year also.

They lay nice big brown eggs, with a fairly high percentage of double yolked eggs. They often do go broody, but this can be a problem because they're so big, they tend to break the eggs. You can let them brood, on fake eggs, with the real eggs in an incubator, and slip the hatchlings under them as soon as they fluff out.

But are you sure the Storey's book was referring to Cornish Rock crosses, (the fast growing broiler hybrids) rather than standard Cornish, which are not the same at all? You can, with careful management, keep the crosses going quite awhile, but most people have trouble with that. The crosses tend to die young, because they grow so fast. They are bred to be slaughtered at 42 days, though home raisers often keep them 8-10 weeks.

Standard Cornish are good brooders and good moms. My Dark Cornish are good moms. I've read that standard Plymouth Rocks don't brood often, but when they do, are good moms.​

 

[little_grey_bantam]

So they actually have to live up to 6 months to lay eggs? Wowie.

 

[dancingbear]

Yes, there aren't any breeds that lay until they are at least 4 months, and those are earlier than most because they're production egg layer breeds. They have to reach reproductive maturity before they lay eggs.

 

[cassie]

There are Cornish chickens and Cornish X hybrids. They are not the same thing. Straight Cornish live just as long as any other chicken. Cornish X grow fast and die young.

So-called Cornish Game Hens are Cornish X, usually, but not always, female and are processed at about four weeks of age and two to two and a half pounds live weight.