Hoover hatchery Cornish cross mini rant

[Shugercube]

Health problems.

Cornish Cross meat chickens grow very fast. They grow so fast and so big that they have major health problems by the time they are a few months old. They often become too large to walk properly. They are also known for dropping dead sometime between 2 and 4 months of age (heart attack or similar problems.) They don't ALL die at that age, but almost all of them are heavy enough to have welfare problems by then.

They can live longer if you restrict their food to make them grow slower, but that must start when they are quite young. That works by stunting their growth (semi-starvation). They would need their food strictly limited for their entire lives, and would still have shorter lives than most other chickens.

Oh wow, I had no idea! I haven’t reached the point where I’m sure I’d be comfortable with culling/butchering, so I’ve kept to layers and dual-purpose only so far, and haven’t done any research on solely meat birds. I mean, I knew they aren’t meant to live long, but I thought it had more to do with keeping the meat tender and flavorful, and keeping feed costs to a minimum. I had not a clue that it would cause the birds issues to let them live longer!

I *almost* grabbed some CX at a swap because they were just so darn cute! But since I’m still just in it for the eggs, they were SR, and I already have a lot of cockerels I need to find homes for, I was able to stay logical and chose not to. Now I’m doubly glad I didn’t get suckered in! I’d have felt so awful finding out after the fact that I’d let them suffer by not “taking care of them” at the proper age.

 

[3KillerBs]

Oh wow, I had no idea! I haven’t reached the point where I’m sure I’d be comfortable with culling/butchering, so I’ve kept to layers and dual-purpose only so far, and haven’t done any research on solely meat birds. I mean, I knew they aren’t meant to live long, but I thought it had more to do with keeping the meat tender and flavorful, and keeping feed costs to a minimum. I had not a clue that it would cause the birds issues to let them live longer!

I *almost* grabbed some CX at a swap because they were just so darn cute! But since I’m still just in it for the eggs, they were SR, and I already have a lot of cockerels I need to find homes for, I was able to stay logical and chose not to. Now I’m doubly glad I didn’t get suckered in! I’d have felt so awful finding out after the fact that I’d let them suffer by not “taking care of them” at the proper age.

They are what's known in livestock farming as a "Terminal Cross" -- a specially-selected cross with the genetics for extremely rapid, cost-effective weight gain.

Terminal crosses are used in many kinds of livestock, but Cornish X meatbirds are an extreme example in terms of how very specialized they are.

I'm hoping to raise my first batch this fall.

 

[NatJ]

I knew they aren’t meant to live long, but I thought it had more to do with keeping the meat tender and flavorful, and keeping feed costs to a minimum. I had not a clue that it would cause the birds issues to let them live longer!

For the commercial producers, you are right that they butcher them at that age because of tenderness and feed costs.

But that means they do not bother breeding for traits that will help them live longer, because it would never apply. I do not know whether they could breed a bird that grows so fast and then lives a long healthy life, but I'm pretty confident they have not even tried.

 

[Shugercube]

I do not know whether they could breed a bird that grows so fast and then lives a long healthy life, but I'm pretty confident they have not even tried.

Oh I’m sure you’re right. It wouldn’t be at all cost effective!

 

[3KillerBs]

Oh I’m sure you’re right. It wouldn’t be at all cost effective!

I know a commercial chicken farmer who has bought some eggs from me.

He once tried keeping some of his Cornish X birds for layers and said they ate like no tomorrow.

 

[rollinrockell]

I know a commercial chicken farmer who has bought some eggs from me.

He once tried keeping some of his Cornish X birds for layers and said they ate like no tomorrow.

They would eat 24x7 if you let them. Which is why I do the 12 hours of food and 12 hours no food. The first time I had Cornish cross I let them in with my layers and didn't realize they were eating all the food before the layers got it. I think its kinder not to let them go on to live a long life, maybe its possible to breed something that could but not for an average back yard that just wants to fill the freezer.
The end result of my hoover shipment is that I only got 2 birds out of ten to live past 1 week. Raising 2 meat birds seemed like a waste so I ended up having to buy more from a different supplier. Hoover made it right and gave me a refund, they wanted to send more but I couldn't stand to receive another box of dead birds. There was one hen and one rooster. The hen was ok for a hen, she produced a 3 pound roaster in the end but I feel like she was stunted. the rooster caught up and was one of the biggest but when there's only 2 hoovers there not really much to compare. Some people have luck with hoovers and that's great. its just not the company for me.

 

[rollinrockell]

My family shall eat for a week. And by family I mean me
This mini trex is set to smoke for hours