Crossing Cornish X with RIR?

[HopyardJubilee]

I have been raising chickens for about a year now, it is quickly becoming my main source of income. This year I will be raising Cornish X to sell as ready-to-process live birds. I have a decent stock of RIR laying age hens (about 25-30 hens) and I was wondering what kind of outcomes I would have if I bred Cornish X cockerels over RIR hens? Please note I have done some research and am aware of the life expectancy and breeding ability (or lack thereof) of the Cornish X. But I have also heard from a local farmer that he keeps a Cornish X rooster to breed over his Jersey Giant hens (his Cornish X is about 10 months old). I guess what I am wondering is:

1- At what age is a Cornish X cockerel sexually mature?
2- Is a Cornish X cockerel ever able to mount and fertilize a hen successfully? Is it possible when theyre younger and not when theyre older? Or just never possible at all?
3- Would it be better to cross a RIR rooster over a Cornish X hen instead of the other way around? And if so, at what age do the hens start laying?
4- What would the offspring be like? Would they grow out quickly, faster than a RIR would? Will they be able to breed? Will they have the health issues of a Cornish X or will they be a chicken more fit to graze and range freely with a normal life expectancy?

Thank you in advance. I really am not planning on keeping any of my Cornish X for longer than processing age, and if I do keep one to breed as mentioned above, it would be kept solely with the well-being of the bird in mind. I will not keep birds that have difficulty walking or breathing or getting around, and if I do keep one to breed I will likely cull as soon as I get enough eggs for the project. If anyone has any experience with this please chime in. And if this just seems like an overall bad idea to try out, please let me know. I do not want to keep any suffering or struggling birds.

 

[Xouie]

Someone last year had a CX cockerel that they attempted to use as a breeder because it was the only male available at the time. It’s driving me nuts that I can’t remember who. @U_Stormcrow did you have the giant CX cockerel?

 

[Molpet]

@duluthralphie used a CX cockerel I think.
I kept a CX pullet and most of my flock are descendents.
Mine dressed out at 5 to 7 lbs at 16 weeks.... Until last year, 4 to 6 lbs. Fortunately I aquired a dark Cornish roo and my numbers are back up.

 

[Molpet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/toad-raising.1152440/post-18045363
Ralphies meat project....toads

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Someone last year had a CX cockerel that they attempted to use as a breeder because it was the only male available at the time. It’s driving me nuts that I can’t remember who. @U_Stormcrow did you have the giant CX cockerel?

I did, but replaced him. Either he wasn't doing the deed, or he wasn't doing it successfully. 12 eggs, none fertile. Around 26 weeks.

 

[Geena]

You'll probably have more reliably fertilized eggs with a RIR over cornishX hens, but they don't lay that well, so it's a toss up. Either way it can be a bit of a challenge. If you intend to continue and breed the F1s together, it's much easier at that point. Most of my meat mutts are descendants of one cornishX hen as well.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have RUG - Rooster of Unknown Genetics over a CornishX hen currently. She's around 8 mo, lays every other day, results are "mixed". Look up "Lemonade", but be aware there are only two data points so far

 

[Molpet]

I have RUG - Rooster of Unknown Genetics over a CornishX hen currently. She's around 8 mo, lays every other day, results are "mixed". Look up "Lemonade", but be aware there are only two data points so far

I found lemonade, if anyone else wants a read, https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ctive-culling-project-very-long-term.1433421/

 

[Geena]

I have RUG - Rooster of Unknown Genetics over a CornishX hen currently. She's around 8 mo, lays every other day, results are "mixed". Look up "Lemonade", but be aware there are only two data points so far

Too bad you don't live closer. I always get patterned red pullets in my meat mutt batches that I'd be happy to give you to get started with. I prefer the black and blue birds, so the red ones usually go in the freezer. I get splash, mottled, laced, barred and partridge looking birds, which is interesting because my original breeding birds were all solid colored. I've been getting a lot of white here lately as well, which I didn't get at all for the first couple of years, because my cornishX was recessive white. You can see a partridge looking pullet in this pic.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I found lemonade, if anyone else wants a read, https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ctive-culling-project-very-long-term.1433421/

Thanks, i'm on my cell phone, its a terrible way to use the internet. Thing Three and S White, i believe, are both RUG x CornishX

and i have some Blue from the last hatch i'd happily trade away, @Geena, if they continue to develop as i expect. Beautiful chicks, but not what i'm looking for in my eventual flock.