Cornish X VS. dual purpose

[CrazyTalk]

You're overthinking this - a cornish X hen will start laying in the 20-24 week range - about the same as a dual purpose like a Barred rock - the difference is that (if she lives that long), the Cornish will be 15+ lbs, and the Barred Rock will be 6-7.

The fact that the cornish cross grows so fast, and gets so big allows you to harvest them well before they're mature - we harvest at the point that growth slows down and feed conversion goes up - not because the bird has matured. With the Barred Rock, you have to wait until you have an adult bird before they're big enough that they're worth slaughtering, and that means they're older, they've been running around more, and they're more muscly.

 

[Double Kindness]

I love this thread! I couldn't find cornish x locally so I bought 26 dp straight run chicks to do meaties 3 weeks & 3 days ago. They are barred rock, silver laced Wyandotte and I believe white leghorn. They were probably 2-3 weeks old when I got them.

I feed them 26% protein gamebird feed that is fermented and grasses, dandelions, herbs, fruits, veggies. Idk when they might be ready to harvest, but they're growing quickly. I plan on trying my hand at caponizing soon and finishing them on oats soaked in raw goats milk? Will that make a difference in taste/texture? Otherwise I won't make the 2 hour round trip to buy 40 gallons of raw goats milk this weekend.

The 1/2 of a grass fed cow didn't fill my freezer up like I had thought, so plenty of room for my 26 chickens and possibly 2 of my laying flock that aren't laying terribly well, since I have 12 white bresse chicks otw soon and have 6 ayam cemani & haffie chicks (ayam cemani x orpington) as part of a black fibromelanistic meatie project/sustainable meatie flock project. I want the best meat, and black meat, which brings me to this ayam cemani suspected roo 3 week old chick that I would LOVE to possibly have for Christmas dinner this year (and he will be a capon for sure!) Which is why I'm practicing on these dp chickens first as my goal was to have a big meaty tender black chicken for my holiday table.

Linda I know you are doing meaties and caponizing too, so anything you might put in is great too! My ayam cemani roo is getting pretty brave already... and the haffie is HUGE and has a bit of a comb starting... maybe a roo also...I'm excited about a possible great home grown Christmas chicken dinner.

From what you've all said, I can expect to start processing my dp chickens when? 10 weeks from now?

 

[Roland C]

Crazy Talk
Ok it finally hit me now I get it, The way you just explained it makes perfect sense..............Thank You for that !!


Double Kindness

I harvest my CX around 8 - 10 weeks never any later

 

[Double Kindness]

RolandC- I don't have cornish x I have dp chickens atm... so I was wondering since they are about 6 weeks old, and feeding them like I am, how much longer will they likely need to go before time to process?

 

[Roland C]

Hmm
good point I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to your post I apologize . Based on the input I'm seeing 18-20 weeks old is what I'm going with. So in fact yes 10 weeks from now in your case.

 

[LindaB220]

Good to have you. I'm been researching this for a while and I'm back at CX's. I think I'll go that way. I have been trying to hatch good White Plymouth Rocks and had dismal luck. I have blue egg layers and will do a couple of batches of CX's a year.

Next purchase is a freezer.

Follow up on this from 4 days ago. I found some fabulous White Plymouth Rocks one Blosi pullet and 3 jwip pullets and a rooster. Just jump started my breeding program. For meat on the table I'm going to try and grow out some CX pullets and breed with the White Rock rooster. He's only 5 mo old and huge. By one year old he will be 10-12 lbs or more. What I hatch will be for my freezer. When I get it.

 

[Double Kindness]

Lol linda! I looked in my freezer and thought, hmm, maybe I should get more chickens so I can get another deep freezer?!? As we just ordered a whole pasture raised hog from a local farmer. And I have 26 chicks @ 6-7 weeks old outside now thinking, hmm.. I should have gotten cornish x probably & wondering if it's too late in the season to get them as we're expecting a freeze tonight.

 

[Roland C]

Thanks for the input Linda.............I wasn't ignoring you.......Thank You for the welcome I'm having fun with the forum.
I will be leaving for vacation tomorrow AM but I will check the forum from time to time if anyone post please be patient I do want to hear from you

 

[LindaB220]

Lol linda! I looked in my freezer and thought, hmm, maybe I should get more chickens so I can get another deep freezer?!? As we just ordered a whole pasture raised hog from a local farmer. And I have 26 chicks @ 6-7 weeks old outside now thinking, hmm.. I should have gotten cornish x probably & wondering if it's too late in the season to get them as we're expecting a freeze tonight.

I personally wouldn't do it. They are saying that this winter is going to be as harsh as last year. Co is a cold state, isn't it? Deep south La is not that cold and no snow (hardly ever). I got in chicken eggs today to hatch. They will be okay because they'll be 2 mo old before it'll grt too crazy with cold. Think about it before you jump in. It might be weeks before a hatchery will have some available

 

[LindaB220]

Hmm
good point I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to your post I apologize . Based on the input I'm seeing 18-20 weeks old is what I'm going with. So in fact yes 10 weeks from now in your case.

Yeah, Roland. That's about what I figure also.