Cornish Vs Heritage: A few questions

[homeworkin]

I am just about to send the second batch of Cornish to freezer camp and I am debating what to do for a third and final batch this year. I want to try some heritage birds, but I am not sure of a few things.

The Cornish sure grow fast and they are pretty docile. Mine will forage a little, but they don't go at each other the way the heritage breeds do if there is a small scratch or a weaker bird. However, I am always worried that these guys are about to flip. We lost two of 20 birds to what I presume is ascite (they looked like they were breathing hard and fast one day, dead the next) and one to what I think might have been mishandling by visiting kids who were NOT SUPPOSED to touch the chicks. With record heat and their basic tendency to have issues, I am always worried they won't make it to harvest day. I am thinking that the
heritage breeds might be a bit less stressful to raise - but not sure. The only roo I have right now is a Delaware and he is 1/3 the size of the Cornish who are the same age he is (around 9 weeks).

How long does it take a typical heavy breed male to get to say 5 pounds dressed?

If I am raising 25 males, am I going to have an issue with fighting before they are old enough to eat?

I live in a semi-suburban area (as in, across the street from a neighborhood but we are still zone agricultural) on land owned by my mother (whose house we live in and she is NOT happy about roosters). Are heritage breeds going to be crowing before they are big enough to eat?

Is it true that the feed conversion is about the same as with the Cornish - slower eating=slower growing?

 

[loveourbirds]

I am just about to send the second batch of Cornish to freezer camp and I am debating what to do for a third and final batch this year. I want to try some heritage birds, but I am not sure of a few things.

The Cornish sure grow fast and they are pretty docile. Mine will forage a little, but they don't go at each other the way the heritage breeds do if there is a small scratch or a weaker bird. However, I am always worried that these guys are about to flip. We lost two of 20 birds to what I presume is ascite (they looked like they were breathing hard and fast one day, dead the next) and one to what I think might have been mishandling by visiting kids who were NOT SUPPOSED to touch the chicks. With record heat and their basic tendency to have issues, I am always worried they won't make it to harvest day. I am thinking that the
heritage breeds might be a bit less stressful to raise - but not sure. The only roo I have right now is a Delaware and he is 1/3 the size of the Cornish who are the same age he is (around 9 weeks).

How long does it take a typical heavy breed male to get to say 5 pounds dressed?

If I am raising 25 males, am I going to have an issue with fighting before they are old enough to eat?

I live in a semi-suburban area (as in, across the street from a neighborhood but we are still zone agricultural) on land owned by my mother (whose house we live in and she is NOT happy about roosters). Are heritage breeds going to be crowing before they are big enough to eat?

Is it true that the feed conversion is about the same as with the Cornish - slower eating=slower growing?

they should reach butchering size before they start to crow. the feed conversion appears about the same, broilers drink a lot more. since your not planning on breeding them, give them higher protein for better muscle development. sorghum in their feed will make them drink more. vitamin b complex will normally make them eat more. (I think its b12 research to be sure).

im thinking normal growth is about 15 weeks, but with higher protein and attempting to make them drink more, you should be able to cut it back to 12 easy enough. the loss on these should be a lot less, of course your going to sacrifice breast meat.

you could potentially do your own Cornish rock cross for the larger breast meat. if you cross it yourself , they wont be as fast of growers. use large fowl breeds in both if you decide to do this.

hope this helps
brian

 

[Fred's Hens]

While a huge supporter of true bred, heritage birds, I am completely not sure if these birds are right for your situation. The males are considerable larger, (we keep Reds and Rocks). They can be eaten at 30 weeks, but their genuine bulk doesn't seem to arrive until 11 months of age. They are rather large eaters as well. There's nothing particularly quick about their growth. The German New Hampshire crosses are fairly quick growers, I understand, but this statement too is relative. I'm sorry, I am not up to speed on the true bred Cornish.

These were/are dual purpose birds from long ago. They aren't ever going to compete with the X's of the modern age in quick to market weight gain. People love the heritage lines of purebred fowl for their beauty, temperament, eggs, long lives, meat, manure for gardens, etc. As part of the bigger husbandry picture, they make a lot of sense.

A good thread is the Homesteading Heritage bird thread by YellowHouseFarm. Good thread.

 

[Bossroo]

they should reach butchering size before they start to crow. the feed conversion appears about the same, broilers drink a lot more. since your not planning on breeding them, give them higher protein for better muscle development. sorghum in their feed will make them drink more. vitamin b complex will normally make them eat more. (I think its b12 research to be sure).

im thinking normal growth is about 15 weeks, but with higher protein and attempting to make them drink more, you should be able to cut it back to 12 easy enough. the loss on these should be a lot less, of course your going to sacrifice breast meat.

you could potentially do your own Cornish rock cross for the larger breast meat. if you cross it yourself , they wont be as fast of growers. use large fowl breeds in both if you decide to do this.

hope this helps
brian

A weeeeeeee bit on the wishful side ... The CornishX has the most efficient feed to meat conversion in all of chickendom bar NONE. One will go broke as well as frustrated in trying to create a bird oneself that would successfully conpete with this commercial bird that took genetists many years as well as MILLIONS of $$$ to reach today's results of the CornishX.

 

[loveourbirds]

Quote: it is very possible to breed a 12 week bird from dark Cornish and large barred rocks, been doing it for 3 years. the purpose of the OP's question was to avoid the problems of the fast growing Cornish rock breed.

now I do agree if you want a 9 week bird, ross and cobb lines are the way to go. but with my style of breeding you wont have near the loss.

 

[homeworkin]

Thanks for help. I do have a Delaware roo I plan to breed with some Delaware hens and other heavies next year, but I need another batch of birds for the freezer. We did 13 birds in June, 18 going on Tuesday, but I want enough chicken to last us through the winter. I only want to over winter my pullets and my little rooster, maybe a pair of Pekins. Everybody else has to be at freezer camp before winter hits full force.

I am thinking I'll just try a bunch of heritage breeds and see what I like, but also get some more Cornish so I have half ready for the freezer before my annual business trip.

 

[loveourbirds]

there are a few "faster than normal mixes" I have a book that mentions one. give me a few mins to look it up.

 

[loveourbirds]

I cant find the book im looking for, here is a picture of it. I think I got it from TSC.

 

[homeworkin]

Thanks, I'll see if I can find a copy.

 

[loveourbirds]

on an unrelated note, cute kids! - do what you can to keep them interested.