Cornish X - Laying like a champ!

[chickenguy222]

Here's my 3 cornish X at 9 weeks. The largest is right at 2 lbs.

 

[chickenguy222]

 

[chickenguy222]

These are the most active birds I've ever owned. They are such a pain to put up in the coop after free ranging, since they run so fast we can't catch them! Also, It rained all day so their feet are really muddy!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I have an adult CX hen that I'm going to need to isolate to see if she's laying. Fingers crossed! She's around 9mo right now, so she ought to be! But I have so many brown egg layers I can't tell hers apart.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Here's my 3 cornish X at 9 weeks. The largest is right at 2 lbs.

Wow...

That's cool, I have 3 week old CX that are bigger than that!

I'm curious why you are keeping them for layers? Just an experiment or is there another reason.

These chickens are amazing, they can gain weight like gangbusters or they can stay normal size. Not many chickens or any animals can do that


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[ChocolateMouse]

Slingshot, I think you answered your own question. If you can get them to bred, you can hatch out chicks that have those traits. Most of us have a pretty solid grasp on the genetics of it (yes, we've all heard the "But they're not meant to live so long!" lectures, the "They're too big to breed naturally!" lectures and the "But hybrid vigor and four way cross!" lectures) and have determined that it's worth having a couple around to breed out a single generation cross in mixed flocks to produce meat chickens for ourselves that we both don't have to pay for from a company, as well as will manage a bit better with natural raising methods. Getting to show all the nay-sayers who claim CX are sickly, dying frankenchickens wrong is kind of a nice benefit too.

At least... That's why I do it! XD

 

[hesklj2008]

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to say thank you for sharing your knowledge about the Cornish chickens. I was at the farm store today and the clerk did a really great job of talking me OUT of buying any. I currently have a couple of sex links and a RIR and a buff brahma for laying, plus have a Cochin and an Americauna roo, and have 20 mixed Orpington and RIR eggs in my incubator. I am trying to focus now on more dial purpose breeds but also wanted to add some strictly meat ones-but like I said, the guy at the store convinced me they wouldn't be worth it. We are mostly free range (we just have to leave our chicken killing dog in the house), so I actually think these could work in our situation. I don't know if you are even still in the forums but again, thanks! If I have questions, is it ok if I message you?

 

[knjinnm]

So were you planning to use Cornish Rocks in your dual purpose plan? If so what was the clerks objection to using them?

 

[hesklj2008]

@knjinnmYou know, I am still not really sure. I honestly think part of it was because he thought I was dumb. And also I wasn't dressed like a farmer ha ha. We were in Town for my birthday so I had something other than my yoga pants and rubber boots on. He seemed very concerned that they are disgusting when they eat and also said they would attack and kill the other birds in the flock. I had been doing some research, though, and really felt like I could make a go of it just raising them like I do my others, because yes-we want meat birds. I have mostly dual purpose ones now, and most of the Roos that hatch from our eggs will be meat, but I wondered if adding a few of these would be better.

 

[knjinnm]

Hsklj2008,
Re-read the earlier posts, your clerk obviously did not know what s/he was talking about. Yes Cornish rocks are vigorish eater and POOP a lot but the benefits of breeding them into your dual purpose line is a benefit. There are other BYC threads discussing the cross as well as threads discussing feeding them easy to make furmented feeds. Free ranging them as you are doing is also a plus. Search for a furmented feed thread by " Beekissed", she has great comments.
Please post pictures when you have some.

PS. As others have stated Crornish will out grow their regular hatch mates so yes they could become bullies like all chickens.