Cornish Thread

[CanadianBuckeye]

I've been thinking about the future of my Dark Cornish flock, and was hoping for some advice. I'd like to breed them as a production breed, so I'd like to select for faster growth, vigour and hardiness. I will not be exhibiting any of them.
Pure Standard sized Cornish breeders, what is the minimum egg weight that you will set in the incubator, to get large, healthy chicks?

 

[lpatelski]

I've been thinking about the future of my Dark Cornish flock, and was hoping for some advice. I'd like to breed them as a production breed, so I'd like to select for faster growth, vigour and hardiness. I will not be exhibiting any of them.
Pure Standard sized Cornish breeders, what is the minimum egg weight that you will set in the incubator, to get large, healthy chicks?

I have one hen that lays eggs in the 60.0 gram range and one that lays in the 50+gram range. Both hen's chicks do well.


Marion:
63.1g, 63.4g, 60.1g, 58.9g, 64.4g, 61.4g




Guinevere:
52.1g, 56.6g, 56.1g, 52.7g, 56.8g

 

[Minniechickmama]

I don't weigh mine and pretty much go by size as I see them. I don't try hatching very small pullet eggs or the really big ones (usually double yolks). If they appear as a medium egg to me, I will put them in.

When you say production, CB, you mean meat production?

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I don't weigh mine and pretty much go by size as I see them. I don't try hatching very small pullet eggs or the really big ones (usually double yolks). If they appear as a medium egg to me, I will put them in.

When you say production, CB, you mean meat production?

Yes, for meat production. I'd like to keep a small flock of them around for looks, but they may as well do something useful! The bantams might actually be a better idea, I may try those in the future.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I have one hen that lays eggs in the 60.0 gram range and one that lays in the 50+gram range. Both hen's chicks do well.


Marion:
63.1g, 63.4g, 60.1g, 58.9g, 64.4g, 61.4g




Guinevere:
52.1g, 56.6g, 56.1g, 52.7g, 56.8g

Thanks- I'm getting eggs in the mid- 50 gram range, but they are still pullets. Your chicks look lovely as do their moms! I wish my Cornish had the pearl eyes- unfortunately none do, but astonishingly I have a red sex link mystery cross hen that does.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I found that even hatchery type Cornish produce a decent enough carcass. At about the 20 week mark, you still have more meat on them than Dual Purpose breed I have raised. If you want a good ranging type cross to try, put a good size Buckeye male over a nice sized Cornish female and they produce a good pastured bird that has a very nice carcass around 20-24 weeks.

 

[sambat]

Yes cornish are nice but when you cross them that hybrid vigor makes it so much nicer. Ive always done cornish rooster over other hens

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I found that even hatchery type Cornish produce a decent enough carcass. At about the 20 week mark, you still have more meat on them than Dual Purpose breed I have raised. If you want a good ranging type cross to try, put a good size Buckeye male over a nice sized Cornish female and they produce a good pastured bird that has a very nice carcass around 20-24 weeks.

They do seem pretty meaty! Have you tried what Sambat does, cornish rooster over Buckeye? I wonder if there is any difference crossing that way.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Since the size and type traits carry heavier from the hens than roosters, to get the meatier cross, I have used the Cornish females. The Buckeyes, being that they have Cornish blood in them, already have (or should have) a good meat quality to them, but the combination has produced larger frame but meatier birds this way. Even the hens were in excess of 8 pounds.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Since the size and type traits carry heavier from the hens than roosters, to get the meatier cross, I have used the Cornish females. The Buckeyes, being that they have Cornish blood in them, already have (or should have) a good meat quality to them, but the combination has produced larger frame but meatier birds this way. Even the hens were in excess of 8 pounds.

That's interesting- what traits does the rooster contribute more of? (other than the sex linked ones- silver and barred?)