Dark Cornish Question....

[hippichick]

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So nice to meet you. I didn't notice you were from here in Louisiana. I got my pair from someone here in Louisiana. I've just got the one pair of Dark Cornish bantams. It was kind of a trade-I gave him a bunch of OEGBs and some Silkies, and I got the Cornish and a few other birds. He got them locally, I think. I posted pics awhile back on a thread. From what I was told, I don't think they're show-quality or anything, but I just think they're cool-looking birds. I'm used to the fluffy feather-footed bantams like Silkies and Cochins, and the tiny little bantams like game bantams. These are just so different. You pick the up and they're just so heavy, so solid. I just think it would be fun to hatch a few of their chicks. She's not layed anything in the past few days, but as soon as she starts up again, I'll save a few eggs and try again under a more reliable broody. I'm afraid my little D'Uccle hen just wasn't sure what to do.

Shari, sorry, it seems like I've hijacked your thread.

 

[iluvmychicks]

Hey Girl, no problem!! I don't feel that way it all!, this is a place to learn and have fun!! Go for it!

Shari

 

[hippichick]

Somehow I knew you wouldn't mind. Thanks, Shari.

 

[Ryu]

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I was having a problem with my Darks having a low hatch rate about. It seemed that the stock I got were too tightly linebred. Based on egg-topsy a certain percentage quit day 16-18. Others were too big to turn in the shell and get their beak to the air cell.

I did an outcross with a different line and fertility/hatch rate went up to nearly 100%.

If it was the short leg lethal only 25% would be DIS (Dead in Shell), 50% would be het carriers, and 25% would be non-carriers.

Hope that helps.
Sharon

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

They are probably not SQ but they are very nice birds that are a lot of fun to have.
It is good to share our experiences to help others. One point I found from hatching a lot of cornish eggs is most of the time if a chick was having trouble hatching it was due to size of the chick that was hatching. When I had more eggs to choose from I tried to hatch eggs that where nice an round instead of more slender egg so that they had more turning room. When I would find out the hen laying the longer more slender egg I would give that hen away. That is how I culled. Sickly birds where humanly put down. Birds that I could not us as breeders where giving a new home. We raised cornish for over 20 years and enjoyed doing it. My husband and I met a lot of wonderful people showing birds. Our kids had lots of fun going to shows. But they liked the auctions the best. They thought that they where lots of fun.

 

[hiddenmagnolia]

We also had to out cross but we tried to stay in the same line. Most of the time in my birds the best fertility in older bird are after the weather gets hot. The younger roosters are fertility all year long. So used our young rooster in the spring. Old rooster where paired up in summer with fewer hens. No more than 5. But every ones birds are different. So you have to adjust your breeding program to your birds. Time to go feed and take care of flock.