Hatchery w/ Best Dark Cornish

[bigredfeather]

I have been considering adding the Dark Cornish to my flock for the last 2 years. I'm thinking this is going to be the year I pull the trigger. I'm not sure if I am going to buy some hatching eggs or buy hatchery stock chicks. I know hatchery stock usually isn't as good as breeder, as hatcheries birds are geared more towards laying.

If you have bought any DC's from a hatchery, please share your opinion on them. If you have butchered them, please share the butchering age, average weights, and your overall satisfaction of the dressed bird. If I can find a hatchery that has decent birds, I would rather buy chicks than eggs from a breeder.

Also, if you know of a breeder that sells eggs or chicks, please inform me.

Thanks.

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

I got one in my hatchery surprise from Ideal. She weighs 1 pound 13.6 ounces at 10 weeks.

ETA - I think she is a DC. She may be their version of a speckled sussex, but the guy that came to test my flock said DC.

 

[CDennis]

I didn't even know Ideal had dark cornish! Back to their website!!!

 

[knjinnm]

Al, are you there?

Al is the guy to talk to when it comes to Cornish.

 

[al6517]

Wow Lot's of question's Ok I will try.

In my humble oppinion it really depends on the persons Knowledge of the breed when considering getting some DC's or any true standard Cornish variety. In other words let's look at it this way, and if you know me you know I don't mince my words. A few question's you must answer for yourself, like.... Have you ever seen real Cornish in person not in pic's ?, What have you seen... Hatchery stock or real Cornish ?, What do you plan to do with them or use them ?. Is all your info based on neglegible sources from people who aren't serious about Cornish ?. And probably the most important is does it really matter to you as to the quality of the bird.

WTS. Yes good Breeder stock is far superior to any Hatchery stock, but if you don't know the difference then what's the point. Let's put it this way True Cornish breeder stock is = like a Cadilac....... Hatchery stock is = a Yugo. If your plan's are to use it as a meat bird to incorporate into your flock to add diversity think again. these birds mature slowly, so if you are wanting fast results it ain't happening. These birds are not your typical Hairdo Foo-Foo birds that can live in an itty bitty little 4X4 pretty painted coop that the girls in your house can name and say are soooo cute, and run and range with the more frail breeds. They take some extra care & Knowledge to achieve good results, and it is best to keep them seperate from your other birds as they can be a little gamey cause they have plenty of Gamebird in their breeding so if your worried about the hair getting pulled out of your silkies get another breed. Feed is a little more costly for this breed if you want to raise good ones, so if cost is a factor pick another breed. and hatchery stock will lay Ok but breeder stock not so much, maybe 150-170 egg's a yr at best. Ok so I could really go on & on but you get the idea.

Good breeder stock can be hard to find, I am not talking about some guy who has hatchery stock and hatched a few and now is trying to buldoze somebody because his hatchery stock comes from his backyard. That same great breeder quality can also be expensive and they may ship Hatching egg's but getting chick's is risky. Some will ship adult or teen birds but shiping will kill you. Shipping adult birds only gives the breeder the opportunity to evaluate the bird at a later stage and then ship you the cull's. Now most serious Good Standard breeders do not normally do business with folks who are new to Cornish because they don't want to waste their stock to somebody who isn't knowledgable about the breed or currently doesn't own any. Sorry but this is really the deal. We as good breeders are having such a hard time keeping numbers up while still trying to improve our lines and show these birds, most of us just trade to each other in our inner circle so we know where are birds are and how they are doing, plus continue to swap and show any off spring.

I have known some guy's who wanted to get into good Cornish and after a few yr's of them learning their way to the point where they haven't given up and is really into them. Then I send egg's, birds and whatever else, but not until then.

So if you have a source for some good stock and have the set-up for them, don't mind spending a few $$ to get real birds, plus the addional cost$$ and effort to care well for them, I say go get em, if not perhaps getting some hatchery stock and get your feet wet first and see what you think before venturing into the relm with the big boy's. I don't do anything hatchery wise so I can't help with that I imagine it doesn't really make a difference which one you choose, pick one close by that will help.

I hope this has helped some and would like to see you get what you want, if I can help explain more feel free to PM me.

WTS: this post will most likely be followed by plenty of folks who feel differently in their limited capacity and that's fine, but I was PM'd to come over and offer a guide so I am doing so.

AL

 

[SteveH]

I bought two very nice DC cockerals today from a dedicated breeder . Evidently both had made the cut from her excess birds which she sells to one individual for meat , but she had some better in this year's crop so ......................... . I'm planning on buying chicks or eggs from her later this winter ; and will share her contact info with you later if she says its OK . If not , I'll let you know when I have some available .

She was very nice to deal with and quite open about discussing the faiults of the two she sold me ............................. for instance , the younger has very nice color and heavy bodied , but not heavy enough in the head and neck to suit her ; and the older one was a little bit beaky .

 

[knjinnm]

Thanks Al.
Joe

 

[bigredfeather]

Thank you for the information, Al, and others. Still looking for hatchery expiriences from others. I just saw that Purely Poultry offers them. Anyone have any from them?

 

[Illia]

Personally I've seen so many hatchery dark cornish, and they all look so much like typical production chickens, I'd never bother to get them from any hatchery, no matter how much better one is from another. Seen Ideal's, Privett's, McMurray's - Wasn't impressed.

There are a lot of Dark Cornish breeders who post on the Heritage Large Fowl thread in the breeds/genetics section. The Shawnee, Okie show just had I believe over 40 Cornish being shown there.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Well it looks as though your heading the hatchery route regardless, but I see your in Ohio and there are many fine DC breeders there. Just sayin.

AL