Dark Cornish Question....

[blackdotte]

Dark Cornish are Wheaten based, thus the chicks have a Wheaten hatch down, which is what you have. Cornish also have a gene,which shortens & thickens the legs, called the Cornish Lethal. Short legged show birds, as in your photo, are impure for this gene, Cl/cl+. Chicks that are pure for Cornish Lethal Cl/Cl die in the shell and do not hatch.
David

 

[iluvmychicks]

David, I had no idea Cornish could carry that gene. I've heard of it in Japanese Bantams and in Serama but not Cornish. Thank you for the information.

Shari

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
Shari,
I must have been off in my days. When I went out to feed this afternoon, I checked on my broody, and one of the eggs hatched, and the chick was dead in the nesting box. I'm not sure if she killed it or if the chick just died. So, I pulled the rest of the eggs and put them under another broody-a game bantam hen(they're the best broodies). Maybe she'll hatch them out.
And, yes, they are Dark Cornish. I have a pair, got them a few months ago. They sure are odd-looking little birds, aren't they? So very cool. I sure hope I can at least hatch a couple, just to say I did, ya know.

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

Quote:
Cornish are not sex linked. I raised and showed them for years. We had lots that hatched out without the stripes. They where male and female. You have a very nice female. It is hard to tell with the male with the way he is standing. I have never had any trouble with my birds hatching. I don't help my chicks hatch. My birds had to hatch their own eggs for a least two clutches to prove that they could. Then they could go into the breeding program if they had the quality and characteristics that I need in my breeding program. My goal was and still is to improve the breed that I love. Not just in looks but in health and egg laying ability. I know that the Japanese and the Serama had this problem but I didn't have that problem with mine. I have hatched some seasons over 400 birds and have had no problem. Have fun with your birds. They can be a very friendly breed. When I had more birds than I have now. When I went to feed I could not pick up my feet to walk through them without them getting under my feet. I had to keep my feet close the the ground so I would not trip on them or step on them.

This was one of my roosters.

The kid was jealous and did not want the hen to come sit next to me so he pushed her off the stack of wood that I was sitting on.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I have one dark cornish hen, and she has gone broody on me twice this year. Has yet to hatch anything though- she's easily scared off the nest. I had one of her eggs (RIR x DC) hatch in the incubator, but it died after one day. It had the stripey "chipmunk" pattern like yours. I know it was her egg because I had no other wheaton layers at the time. I wish the chick would have made it- bet it would have been pretty!

 

[iluvmychicks]

hiddenmagnolia, thanks for the information. It's nice to see breeders of the dark cornish, I'm not sure there is a whole lot of you out there. Cute pictures!! Do you still raise them??

HappyMtn, You need to try again, the chicks are adorable!!


Paula, did you read the post blackdotte wrote?? He talked about a lethal gene in Cornish??
Here's his post

Dark Cornish are Wheaten based, thus the chicks have a Wheaten hatch down, which is what you have. Cornish also have a gene,which shortens & thickens the legs, called the Cornish Lethal. Short legged show birds, as in your photo, are impure for this gene, Cl/cl+. Chicks that are pure for Cornish Lethal Cl/Cl die in the shell and do not hatch.
David​

 

[hippichick]

I did read that post, Shari. I don't know if that's the case or not because one of the chicks did hatch yesterday, but died afterwards. David said that they die in the shell, and do not hatch at all. I'm hoping that's not the problem. I also see that Hidden Magnolia let her Cornish hens hatch their own chicks. I remember seeing a post about them not going broody at all. I've had this hen for a few months, and she hasn't gone broody, but who knows? I guess I'll just have to keep trying.

 

[iluvmychicks]

Well good luck, I hope you get some beautifu babies soon!! Let me know how it goes......**fingers crossed**

Shari

 

[hippichick]

Quote:
Surely will, ma'am. Thanks a bunch!

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

Paula I see that you are from Branch. I now live in Sulphur. We moved further north after Rita. I did lose all of cornish in Rita. But I had given some to friends. They are letting me have some eggs and some of their culls to start over. It is a start. Who did you get your birds from. I have Darks, White Laced Red, White and one Black. It is a start. I did have over 100 birds

. Right now I have more orpingtons than cornish. But I am getting ready to cull and hope to build more pens later now that my DH has gone back to work after 8 months. But right now house comes before breeding pens and raising pens so I only keep a small flock. I never had trouble with my hens going broody and hatching their own eggs but I culled for that as well a health.
You are right not many people raise Cornish Bantam so some people assume that they are hard to raise and have a lot of problems and issues but they do not. we showed for 10 years. Then my husband decided he wanted to raise and show rabbits so we did that. But a kept my cornish. If you need something you can pm me I do not work a regular 9 to 5. So I get on at odd times but will try to answer your questons.