Dark Cornish question

[UNCLEG]

I have read to conflicting descriptions of Dark Cornish Chickens, one says they are an active bird that forages for itself very well, the other described them as being docile and poor foragers? I believe the first statement to be true, but wanted to check with others on this. Which is it and what have your experience been with dark Cornish. I looking for a good forager and one that is smart, somewhat predator savvy as I want to free range the in and around the forest that sorounds my property.

 

[foreverlearning]

It depends on the bird itself and how you raise them. Out of a group of 57 all the same age I only had 2 that were slow and didn't range well. The rest were quite active and ranged really well. Oh, and they fly! Mine would come out of the coop flying every morning, it was cute! They fly much lower then the other breeds but they still do.

 

[donrae]

It depends on the bird itself and how you raise them. Out of a group of 57 all the same age I only had 2 that were slow and didn't range well. The rest were quite active and ranged really well. Oh, and they fly! Mine would come out of the coop flying every morning, it was cute! They fly much lower then the other breeds but they still do.

Are you referring to Dark Cornish, or Cornish cross meat birds?

 

[foreverlearning]

I have had both and they act the same except for hunger. They make a dark cornish cross meat bird that acts like it is starving all the time while it is wandering around with a full crop. The feathering is also a little off (suspect it is from the the cross). My dark cornish layers don't lay as well as my production breeds but they act well and range well. I haven't had one go broody yet so I am not sure on that quality. I haven't lost a regular dark cornish to predators free ranging but I have lost 2 of the dark cross (meat). My roosters are only 6 months so I have no clue if they are good yet, but I have had some of their hens sound an alarm for hawks.