Cornish Thread

[big medicine]

how do ya'll stand on the whole vaccination thing? I am going to be getting birds from a hatchery for the first time for a project and I am really concerned with them dying if i don't get them inoculated. What have ya'll's experiences been?

I vaccinate all the chicks I hatch for Marek's.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

I think a person can get a fair idea on general type from a good written description, but for me good photos or illustrations really help me fix it in my head. That being said, nothing can compare to seeing good examples in the flesh. Still today about the time I get to thinking I may be getting somewhere with one of my Brahma projects, all I need to do is go to a good show and reset my goals. One thing that written descriptions and pictures sometimes fail to convey, at least for me, is size. I had a pretty good idea and appreciation for a nice wide skull or back. But when you see those big ol Brahma cocks with a back so big and broad you could play chess on it, it is rather sobering. Similar could be said for the Cornish as well, although I think you just about need to have a Cornish in hand to really appreciate their true massiveness.

One of the perks of being from these parts of Ohio is we have several good poultry shows within reasonable driving distance. The Ohio National show regularly hosting many breed club's national meets, drawing the best birds from a pretty broad area. May be well worth a persons effort, if they have never been to their national club show, to take a few days and travel, if within a reasonable distance, to see these birds firsthand.

Big medicine for sure nothing beats the real thing.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

At a big show like the Ohio National, what proportion of chickens would be large breeds? How many large fowl Cornish would you expect to be shown?

 

[QueenMisha]

how do ya'll stand on the whole vaccination thing? I am going to be getting birds from a hatchery for the first time for a project and I am really concerned with them dying if i don't get them inoculated. What have ya'll's experiences been? 

Depends... Which vaccines? I have experience with cocci and Marek's vaccines to date. I always get cocci, since I don't really like feeding medicated feed. Marek's depends. If it's a pet/layer/meat get it vaccinated. If it's gonna be a breeder leave it be. Birds who are gonna succumb to the disease shouldn't live to be bred anyways, in my opinion.

I've also noticed a big difference between vaccinated/non vaccinated birds in my flock, which runs a mild strain of Marek's very prevalent in this geographical area (my avian vet has said she thinks about 90% of local flocks probably have it). Birds who are vaccinated and introduced AFTER three weeks of age rarely show symptoms. The older they are the better. Birds vaccinated and introduced BEFORE three weeks of age tend to grow much smaller and show symptoms more often than not. Birds non-vaccinated are a coin toss; some grow completely normal and show no symptoms, others (maybe 10-20%) show serious symptoms or succumb.

Noticed it especially in my Cornish from MMH. Several years back, maybe 2012 or 2013, I had the order vaccinated; those cocks grew to about 10 pounds adult weight. This year's I left unvaccinated and the Cornish have ended up significantly smaller, pullets 5 lbs/cockerels 6. Interestingly enough this only occurred with the Cornish. My "free extra" Cochin cockerel was caponized and is now absolutely huge, easily tipping 8 lbs (although a good bunch of it is feathers).

 

[big medicine]

At a big show like the Ohio National, what proportion of chickens would be large breeds? How many large fowl Cornish would you expect to be shown?

I'd hate to even hazard a guess, surely a much higher percentage of little birds. To tell you the truth a lot of years I don't even get down to that end of the building to look at the bantams.

The last Ohio National ,back in 2014, (as 2015 was cancelled due to the AI scare). was I believe their 100 anniversary show and hosted a whole slew of national club meets, including the Cornish and Brahma clubs. There were Cornish from as far away as California there, got to meet breeders there I had only previously read about. There were plenty of large fowl to keep you busy studying.

There are some pictures of the show here.http://www.ohionational.org/show-photos/ivlqgckosvfe14xzeewx4ourrbwnwe

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Big M that IS a lot of birds!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[big medicine]

The 2014 Ohio National was something extra special, Completely filling the Celeste building, which it normally does, but also overflowing well into the next building, which held all the sale birds and the exhibitions of waterfowl, turkeys, and maybe guineas if I remember correctly.

Now the average Ohio National is still usually the largest show in the US, barring the occasional show such as the Crossroads show in Indianapolis a few tears ago. But if one was considering traveling a considerable distance to take it in with the intent to see lots of large fowl Cornish, I would make sure they are hosting a Cornish national meet that year.

 

[moomoodiddy]

Depends... Which vaccines? I have experience with cocci and Marek's vaccines to date. I always get cocci, since I don't really like feeding medicated feed. Marek's depends. If it's a pet/layer/meat get it vaccinated. If it's gonna be a breeder leave it be. Birds who are gonna succumb to the disease shouldn't live to be bred anyways, in my opinion.

I've also noticed a big difference between vaccinated/non vaccinated birds in my flock, which runs a mild strain of Marek's very prevalent in this geographical area (my avian vet has said she thinks about 90% of local flocks probably have it). Birds who are vaccinated and introduced AFTER three weeks of age rarely show symptoms. The older they are the better. Birds vaccinated and introduced BEFORE three weeks of age tend to grow much smaller and show symptoms more often than not. Birds non-vaccinated are a coin toss; some grow completely normal and show no symptoms, others (maybe 10-20%) show serious symptoms or succumb.

Noticed it especially in my Cornish from MMH. Several years back, maybe 2012 or 2013, I had the order vaccinated; those cocks grew to about 10 pounds adult weight. This year's I left unvaccinated and the Cornish have ended up significantly smaller, pullets 5 lbs/cockerels 6. Interestingly enough this only occurred with the Cornish. My "free extra" Cochin cockerel was caponized and is now absolutely huge, easily tipping 8 lbs (although a good bunch of it is feathers).

I am going to be conducting a research project on growth patterns and quality of commercial broilers compared to heritage meat breeds and I need to exactly replicate the techniques and procedures of each environment including commercial chicken house, backyard flock and pastured raised, vaccinations are just one of the many variables. I also don't want to loose any birds during the process.

 

[sambat]

Bantams, didnt manage to get a female but did get the male rooster on bottom. Weighs 4lbs 4 ounces

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Sambat Congratulations! That's great. He looks pretty tame, too! So you don't have any bantam hens yet?
It's probably chicken heresy- but me personally, I'd be tempted to cross your new rooster with some large fowl hens............ just to see.