CORNISH ROCKS USED FOR CROSSBREEDING??

[Blw18]

Hi everyone! I’ve kept 10 Cornish rocks (7 pullets and 3 roosters) this year to be part of a breed project I’ve been working on a few years now. They’re around 3.5 or 4 months old now and doing fantastic. I’ve kept them 100% on free-range with very limited feed and left it up to them to find the rest themselves around the pastures and barn. They’re twice the size and weight of the other chickens their age but are very lean and muscular compared to Cornish rocks I’ve raised for meat purposes in the past. They can fly up to roost (albeit a little awkwardly), run all over the farm all day long, and have had no health issues to date. Other than being bigger, they act like my ‘normal’ chickens and are very friendly. The pullets are starting to get brighter faces and show more interest in my Brahma rooster in which I plan on crossing them with. If they’re able, I’ll cross the CX roosters with my Orpington hens. One already tries mounting hens but I’m sure he’s too young for fertile eggs. My ultimate goal is to have meaty, tall, big boned offspring that don’t have the explosive growth rate, overly massive weight, and health issues associated with the Cornish rocks. Has anyone every done anything like this? I’d love to hear your experiences and share as many details as possible. Thanks!!

 

[Molpet]

Several people have. @duluthralphie is one
I kept a pullet and most of my flock is out of her

 

[Blw18]

Really? Could you tell me about the crosses?

 

[Molpet]

Really? Could you tell me about the crosses?

I had a random mix heritage roo I put over a CX pullet. Have to restrict feed and lots of exercise to keep them alive.
After she had been laying for a few weeks, I put 5 of her eggs under a broody. 3 cockerels and a pullet hatched. The original CX died before she was a year old. Her daughter laid double yolks.
I used the 3 sons over br and bjg. The sons lived 18 months to 2 and 1/2 yrs. I'm on the 4 generation now. Last year cockerels dress out 5 to 7 lbs at 16 weeks.

 

[Blw18]

I had a random mix heritage roo I put over a CX pullet. Have to restrict feed and lots of exercise to keep them alive.
After she had been laying for a few weeks, I put 5 of her eggs under a broody. 3 cockerels and a pullet hatched. The original CX died before she was a year old. Her daughter laid double yolks.
I used the 3 sons over br and bjg. The sons lived 18 months to 2 and 1/2 yrs. I'm on the 4 generation now. Last year cockerels dress out 5 to 7 lbs at 16 weeks.

That sounds fantastic. Any pics? Which parent side did they take more after?

 

[Molpet]

That sounds fantastic. Any pics? Which parent side did they take more after?

The original sons were white and very large Breasted. The following generation I got very meaty whites. Barred that are meaty and blacks that have a normal breast.
I started using the resulting barred cockerels because they are healthier. The white Cockerels get too big and start dieing about 18 months. The hens last longer

 

[Molpet]

Broody white with chicks
They tend to smash their eggs but I start a incubator when they go broody

 

[Molpet]

Black hen

 

[Blw18]

The original sons were white and very large Breasted. The following generation I got very meaty whites. Barred that are meaty and blacks that have a normal breast.
I started using the resulting barred cockerels because they are healthier. The white Cockerels get too big and start dieing about 18 months. The hens last longer

So I guess the white gene is associated with those big breast muscles for the most part. Those hens are really nice looking. Are they good layers?

 

[Molpet]

Barred roo I am using this and last year