Cornish X red ranger cross project

[Christabelle]

I kept back some cornish hens and a red ranger roo. My first chicks from the cross just hatched. I figured I'd make a thread for my project in case anyone is interested.

The parents

 

[Christabelle]

The chicks.

 

[BCMaraniac]

The chicks.

Cute....they look really healthy. I hope they grow well for you and don't have the problems the standard CX are susceptible to. I would love to see updates and photos as they grow.

 

[CoopDeViIIe]

Interesting. They are both hybrid parents, so it will be curious to see what you get in the chicks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That should be a fun project. I wasn’t aware that Red Rangers were hybrids like the Cornish X but from a quick inter net search, it looks like they probably are also a four-way cross. Good to learn something this morning.

I have no idea what is in the color and pattern genetics of either parent, other than from those chicks it looks like the Cornish X are pure for dominant white. So the chicks from this cross should wind up mostly white, though you could get some interesting combinations. If you save and breed chicks from this cross, that‘s when you should get some really interesting color and pattern combinations. Crosses of crosses can get pretty wild.

It will be really interesting how these grow out. I suspect you will still get really great growth rates and probably could see health related problems from growing so fast. But that’s a guess. Hatching eggs is how to find out so you are well on the way. Good luck!

 

[aroo2many]

Did or do you have to monitor the adult's feed? Or can you free feed them like layers? I kept one of my FR hens (not for breeding, long story) and I worry about her getting fat. I just finished harvesting the rest of the birds and now she is house w/4 layers chicks of same age. Any suggestions to keeping her healthy and fit?

 

[Christabelle]

It will be interesting for sure. I know i probably will get a full spectrum of differences probably. So far the chicks are big, and eating like cornish X. My original plan was to keep back the healthy medium growers for my own line of meatie, but it is frustrating work keeping the cornish x hens alive. I actually only have two now, i processed the other two. They were eating me out of house and home-lol. The red ranger could probably free range though. He seems less inclined to eat himself to death. Ill keep updating on them.

 

[Christabelle]

Did or do you have to monitor the adult's feed? Or can you free feed them like layers? I kept one of my FR hens (not for breeding, long story) and I worry about her getting fat. I just finished harvesting the rest of the birds and now she is house w/4 layers chicks of same age. Any suggestions to keeping her healthy and fit?

I have not had any luck free ranging the hens. I have to limit their food, and they are always hungry. If they grew up with the layers it might work out. My hens legs seem to do better when they are allowed to get out and run around, but they are too aggressive to my smaller layers over any amount of food or perceived food.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

I was hoping to try the same idea. With RR/Cornish/heavy breeds I have. Did your hens have issues laying? Generally I read that most hens would have issues with egg production because of leg size. I was told or read somewhere that the rooster should be Cornish and hens other breed. Although you think the hens would get squished when he mounted. I might try saving a few cornish both sexes and see how a trial both ways go. I only have RR pullets though so I will have to sub a rooster from my other heavy breed birds. I do have 2 Ameracauna Cockerals about their age that I really don't know what I want to do with them, they were free with birds I got from feed mill. Woulda had 3 but wife set a limit what I could purchase for birds.
Do you remember what age they were when they came into lay? As I could use one of my younger birds if they are really late maturing. And I have some birds I hatched a few weeks after I got these, of which some most definately be males. I have a couple 3/4 BA 1/4 Leghornthat are white but should have larger body if they turn out to be roos. Otherwise for the time being all my other males (Except Amer) are black and want to get a lighter colored meat bird.

 

[Christabelle]

I honestly don't know that a cornish X roo could "get it done", but maybe. My hens lay a lot of double yolkers, and strange shaped eggs, but they lay large fertile eggs consistently. One started laying by 6 months- all were laying by 8 months.