First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JRNash]

I wasn't expecting anything before December. I'm hoping cool weather,spring and the birds being young will result in me getting a decent start on some outcrossed meatballs

 

[mountain mom]

I wasn't expecting anything before December. I'm hoping cool weather,spring and the birds being young will result in me getting a decent start on some outcrossed meatballs

I bet you will have some CX hens laying before December! Then in the spring everyone will be ready for breeding.... and you would have had the benefit of enjoying some eggs before you started hatching them all!

Ralph's CX hens were older than Pearl was, by a couple of months or at least a month and a half, I think. I find it weird that his hens didn't start to lay. Or just different I guess. I suppose all the different CX strains that are at the different hatcheries makes for a part of it.

I noticed a huge difference in the birds I had last fall (Pearl's bunch) compared to the ones this spring which came from a different hatchery. Different colored legs, fewer that had little black feathers here and there, and overall a bit less hearty. But so it goes.

 

[duluthralphie]

I bet you will have some CX hens laying before December! Then in the spring everyone will be ready for breeding.... and you would have had the benefit of enjoying some eggs before you started hatching them all!

Ralph's CX hens were older than Pearl was, by a couple of months or at least a month and a half, I think. I find it weird that his hens didn't start to lay. Or just different I guess. I suppose all the different CX strains that are at the different hatcheries makes for a part of it.

I noticed a huge difference in the birds I had last fall (Pearl's bunch) compared to the ones this spring which came from a different hatchery. Different colored legs, fewer that had little black feathers here and there, and overall a bit less hearty. But so it goes.

I figured mine never layed because of my proximity to the Artic Circle, Those of you closer to the equator probably even have 4 seasons too.

 

[mountain mom]

I figured mine never layed because of my proximity to the Artic Circle, Those of you closer to the equator probably even have 4 seasons too.

Ha! That could be it!

 

[JRNash]

Artic.....that's cruel. Went outside and Cut (9) 2x6's for a fence I'm building. Heat made my head start pounding and I had to shut it down.

 

[JRNash]

There are a lot of different broiler strains and they are being tweaked every hatch depending on market trends

 

[JRNash]

The broiler book I'm reading right now said that most heritage breeds were developed in the last 100 yrs.The broilers in the last 25 or so.

 

[duluthralphie]

The broiler book I'm reading right now said that most heritage breeds were developed in the last 100 yrs.The broilers in the last 25 or so.

What year was the book written?? 1856?

 

[JessicaThistle]

Hey Ralph,do the Cx sexually mature at the same rate they grow??

I would say no to that. Sunny laid an egg somewhere between 16-18 weeks old. So, I'd say sexual maturity can be at standard rate or slower. She did not lay well. I maybe got a dozen eggs from her over the course of her lifetime, while Pearl, MMs CX, laid more. I don't think sexual maturity was ever taken into account with CXs as that wasn't ever supposed to be the option. Therefore, I think you will just have to watch and see what your's does.

I think that we are the ones that are going to have to study and post our findings on this as I don't think that scientists are interested in this one.

 

[JRNash]

I believe your right. I was planning onn 22weeks for first eggs