Home-grown Meatbird ideas.....

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
Most people doing backyard broilers opt for a rooster because they are breeding it to their normal layers. It's much more conveniant for me to buy a Cornish rooster and throw him in with the Dorkings/laying hens, than to buy a flock of Cornish hens and throw them in with a Dorking roo.

I think it just turns out more conveniant for most people. I think you could use you Cornish hen just fine.

-Kim

 

[sred98]

ok-thanks! I just wanted to make sure there weren't any physical reasons.

I still haven't decided what my core flock is going to be, so this thread is just what I needed!

Shelly

 

[greyfields]

reverse crosses are not the same as a cross using the cornish as the terminal sire

now, the problem is, I can't remember the exact reason why

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Quote:
Wow, I wouldn't have thought. If you remember why, let me know. I think that's interesting.

-Kim

 

[greyfields]

It's something to do with the unequal distribution of genes between males/females. That's all I can remember, except that crossing reverse gives you an entirely different bird than the primary cross.

i.e. putting a RIR roo on a Barred rock hens gives you a black sex link (BSL), reversing it gives you an entirely different bird, which is not sex linked

 

[Wolf-Kim]

So using a Cornish hen wouldn't work for a home-grown broiler? Or would it just not be quite the same had a Cornish sire been used?

-Kim

 

[greyfields]

I have never heared of anyone using Cornish hens as part of a meat breeding regime.

 

[Buster]

I am raising up a couple of red laced white cornish roos to cross on some of my standard and heavy breed hens such as speckled sussex, orpingtons, marans, and EE's, as well as some wyandottes in the future. I will keep you posted on the results down the road.

 

[Omniskies]

You aren't hijacking

You can use a Cornish hen for the cross. From what I know, Cornish lay a pitifully small amount of eggs. If I'm raising meat birds I want a ton of eggs to offset the costs of the breeder flock and the incubating/brooding period. Using breeds that lay well for the hen is more cost effective.

Edit: Urgh. I didn't know I had this thread open for that long. I thought no one had replied yet.

 

[sred98]

Ok...so she would be best as a broody, rather than a breeder, it sounds like. I'm not going to tell DH that, though, because I told him she was going to be my meat bird breeding base! LOL! So, he tolerates her.

I knew I'd have to get a different kind for eggs, but was hoping I could use her for meat. Thanks for the replies!

By the way, love the Corking idea!

Shelly