Cornish Thread

[big medicine]

Steve, glad your liking your youngsters. The egg size thing was a happy accident. Something in these project birds seems to have clicked, they lay a much larger egg than any of their parent stock, and more often. Dad's white Cornish lay eggs that are so round it it sometimes very difficult to tell which end is which.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Fertility seems to be hardest to achive early, the hens tend to start laying well before the males seem to be able to hold up their end of the deal.

Another issue seems to be fertile eggs that fail to hatch. Fully formed chicks that don't pip. Unsure why, or how wide spread this is.

I suspect these have been issues for Cornish breeders long before our time as well.

The last few months I have been experiencing the same thing in regards to fertile eggs going to almost full term then quiting for no reason and some that never went past 12-14 days of development, Had me questioning all sorts of things. Especialy since the spring hatches went so well, I have decided to wait till this late winter before attempting another hatch, besides show season is right around the corner anyway.

The whole leg issues seems to be that the younger birds do a little better topping hen's before they really pack on the muscle and develop the ( waddle ). Most well respected Cornish show breeders will keep 2 seperate sets of breeders, one set for showing and another set to breed. Hatches are culled to keep some of each as carry over.

2 of my white hens also lay some seriously round eggs, to the point I have to candle them before writing info on the hatching eggs so as to tell which end is which.

I do agree that having a few loose screws

does help when breeding Cornish for the long haul, we deal with issues other breeds will never have, and having the gut's to stay with it through thick and thin is a testament to the tenacity of good Cornish breeders. It sure does stink sometimes when several things go south all at once

.

AL

 

[big medicine]

The first step is admitting there is a problem.

(In regard to the loose screw issue.)

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Do they look like this?

They aren't Cornish, they're from one my red sexlink layers; she often lays an egg that is difficult to determine which end goes up, but these two were ridiculous.

 

[al6517]

Yes

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
I've never set eggs from the sexlinks, so no experience on the chances of successfully hatching these round eggs. I hardboiled them, and both yolks were very near the shell, the one that was near perfectly round being right against the shell. I'm not sure if the filaments holding the yolk centered were not attached or just too loose to keep the yolk where it belonged due to the shell's shape.

 

[SteveH]

Pure LF DC, juveniles, age unknow but still showing a little down behind their eyes and the light chick color on their wing tips .

 

[SteveH]

Ten week olds from Big Medicine's Blue Laced Red Cornish project, a cockeral and crop out white pullet.

 

[spklav97]

Here's one of my Dark Cornish Roos.
Sorry about the quality. He kept going under the oak trees. Feel free to comment honestly.

 

[SteveH]

spklav97, I don't believe in judgeing another's birds for them, so rarely do it, especially by pictures. I will say he's a handsom boy but too soft feathered for a true Cornish, most probably from a hatchery or hatchery stock. While I have no way of knowing it for sure, I suspicion the hatchery birds to be crosses, though in some respects make a better flock for many than a true Cornish. Here's a young Dark Cornish as he appeared at 6 months. IMO he was not really a good one due to his narrow head, too small framed, and not nearly broad enough in the shanks, but still the best I could find, probably more heavy breasted than most, and fine for my crossbreeding project.