Cornish x's vs Heavy Breed Cockerels Any suggestions

[Promiselandfarm]

Well today the vet came out to certify our farm's chickens we passed with flying colors. Anyway we have one Cornish Cross Rooster who is very heavy I think he weighs at least 30 pounds. He is heavier than a toddler to pick up. He'll be a year old this month. He is the only Cornish cross we have ever gotten to live past a month and he was pure unintentional. At his ripe old age of one year he is starting to walk a little slower and has a slight gimp. In order to get a chicken that huge there must be some huge genetics in his background. I know they say white rock and cornish but what to they really have in them? Someone on BYC had a chicken which was huge but it was not a cornish it was something else wonder if they threw that into the mix. Cornish crosses are not for us because they are too fussy of a chicken and with 6 children, plus farm, plus homeschool, plus work, plus me going back to school... I just don't have the added time they take. We clean out all our coops at least every three month if not sooner, I just can not stand any poop building up. We have shavings in our runs and coops so they get a least a clean looking place to hang out in addition to getting out to play(free range). How do you guys who raise the cornish crosses keep up with the coop/run clean-up?

 

[dancingbear]

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What's a Corndel? Is that a first generation cross of Cornish and Delaware, or some other? That's one of the ones I want to try so, I have great interest in how yours turn out.

Right now I'm acquiring breeding stock for Cornish (roos) and Dorking (hens), the slow way, getting eggs from breeders, and waiting for cooler weather before I order eggs. It'll be spring or summer before I have birds of breeding age, to try that first cross. Well, first serious one, anyway. I already tried Brahma roo over Cornish hen, that one grows very slow. I didn't really expect anything great with that cross, it was just what birds I already had. They aren't in the freezer yet, that was supposed to be this week but other things came up. This week for sure, at least some of them.

I'd love to hear your results when you try any cross breeding.

 

[dancingbear]

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Nobody's saying you shouldn't raise whatever breed you choose. Others choosing something else is not a slam at you. No more than if I chose pistachio ice cream and you preferred strawberry. We're only saying there's more than one option out there, and that we don't all have to be the same.

Good luck in your chosen endeavors. I hope it goes well for you and your family.

 

[DaKid]

MissPrissy
Most people new to chickens don't understand the 'dual purpose' vs. broiler concepts.

Those dual purpose birds where what people used for meat birds over the last century. They were big birds, layed good eggs and when spent still offered something for the family table. The thin breasts is actually what is best for a fryer. The chicken cooks through to the bone before it dries out or starts to burn. Reading these birds described as 'dual' purpose isn't so that you can raise them for one purpose (to lay eggs) OR the other (for meat). You raise them for eggs and when spent you take all your hard work and dollars poured into feed and reclaim it as a table bird. Trying to raise these birds and trying to make them into the concept of what our generation has grown up thinking a meat bird should be is throwing good money away. They will never be what a broiler is.

The meat birds were commercially developed and raised and flooded the markets in the 70's. They were selectively bred to be bigger and meatier and made it seem more feasible for the current fast paced lifestyles to just buy a chicken that was cheaper and offered more meat than one that could be raised up at home. This is where our generation (40 somethings) and beyond grew up not knowing there was generally anything about chickens not like the ones in the grocery store.

It is now that so many are flocking back to the old ways, taking responsibility for their food and sustaining their families in the old traditions that all things old are becoming new again.

All sorts of birds have been developed to use as a broiler. Alot of the small guys got tired of being left out and branched out to develop their own versions of the meat birds that are held almost as a industry secret with the commercial breeders and producers. Cornish crosses are not genetically altered. They have been selectively bred for their features - broad breasts, thick thighs, meaty legs. The commercial producers have selected birds that grow bigger, grow faster and have spent the last 50 years perfecting their breed of 'cornish cross' that is nothing like the original birds used in the initial breeding programs.

For me the choice of cornish crosses as opposed to say the ranger lines is I prefer for myself the whiter skinned chickens without pigment tinting from the feather shafts. I grew up in an area where the chickens came from basically one place. All of my life we ate Claxton Chickens. I didn't even know what the names Tyson and Perdue meant outside of a frozen meat case. We were never exposed to those nationally known names as fresh chickens. We shopped at Piggly wiggly and Big Star or Bi-Lo. All of the chickens sold were white skinned. As I developed my own cooking preference, even when processing my own roosters or spent layers, I found if I wanted a roasting bird the white skinned (white feathered) birds looked best - more appetizing to me. The cornish as I raised them were always healthy. Never had troubles with them. They grew out quickly, full breasted, white skinned (not as white as I want but white enough) and look beautiful in my dishes.

They are my preference for a single purpose meat only bird.

very well said and I agree being in the same age bracket 40 plus more...... like close to 50 yrs young what our parents either bought or raise where it being the duel purpose bird , I don't thinks we had in out time the big birds type x-rock's meat type of today just for meat ..... so as I remember back in da day our duel purpose chicken was as following the Roo’s where cook for chicken soup , being not as much meat to feed a family of say four .... but now then hens well ya got the fresh eggs for some time and when the family need a feast then it seem the older hens ended up in the oven as bake chicken roosters or on the grill in da summer time .....seems to day families want more breast meat , then legs and thighs meat so over the yrs they developed the x-rocks in which produce the meatier part ( which is the breast ) of the so call meat bird chicken to feed the now a day family , most want all meat and not pick meat off the boned like legs and thighs which all part or the chicken is good ..........
I fine this is true for turkeys also most like the breast meat over the legs and tights , also I fine most like white turkey meat vs dark turkey meat


Any way only half way through this thread I fine your replies and statements most true


Al.​

 

[Cason]

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What are you doing with this rooster? Is he capable of breeding?

 

[Chicken7777]

Yes what are you doing with the rooster, i think you should take advantage of the extra life, to add that quality to other breeds of chicken. It might help in something!
Also what really is in the cornish cross, is it really just cornish x white plymouths? and qualities reflect the cornish cross from each variety? Thanks!

 

[MamaDragon]

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What's a Corndel? Is that a first generation cross of Cornish and Delaware, or some other? That's one of the ones I want to try so, I have great interest in how yours turn out.

Dancingbear - according to an article written by Timothy Shell, developer of this breed, the Corndel is 25% Delaware, and 75% Cornish/rock cross. He spent several years developing them as an alternative to the Freedom Rangers, Cornish X's, etc. He developed a meat bird that, with proper management, can be raised as either a table bird, or a breeding bird, for more table birds.

Tim apparently left the country a couple years ago, and the Moro family in WI has picked up the project, and continues on. Their contact info is

http://www.cooncreekfamilyfarm.com/

I'd definately Like to learn more about them myself!!

Did a google on the Corndel, and found some interesting reading. Still wading thru it all.

Kathy

 

[dancingbear]

Hey, Kathy, thanks! I'll google the Corndels, too.

I'm finding breeders to get eggs from. I hope to have some birds to breed by the end of next summer. It looks like it'll be that long before I have adult birds to work with. With so many others doing similar things, I can hardly wait to read everybody's results, and share mine.

The next couple of years I expect to learn a lot!

 

[willheveland]

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Some people that raise Cornish X's don't use coops and runs,and choose to raise them on fresh grass,moving them each day.It is not that much work.You just move them 8ft or so enough to get them on fresh ground.You do this before you feed them so you are walking in the pen on clean ground.It may take about 30 seconds per pen.(that's 30 SECONDS) It is far easier than cleaning a coop and run,much more healthy tonce they leave the brooder they never spend another second on shavings just fresh grass. Many people don't like Cornish for one reason or another,but it is all about how they are raised.When something better (for my needs)comes out I will switch,but I haven't found anything yet.Will

 

[chiknlady]

One went down on her legs--so only 30 more to go!

My first homemade chicken! This one is fryer sized