How do they get meat chicks?

[bulldog-girl]

If cornish X only live for so long, Where do they get the eggs for chicks? Can you hatch your own meatie chicks?

 

[Teach97]

They use a cross mating of a cornish and another breed (not sure which) That is why they are called cornish X. They can't breed themselves so would have to be AI but then cornish are the same way. Their breasts are just to large and put the out of position.

 

[MoodyChicken]

Cornish x are usually purebred Cornish (which are healthy and live a long while) crossed with white Plymouth Rocks or something similar. The offspring are very fastgrowing. The Cornish they use to breed are quite huge, and they need to use AI methods to breed. Yes, you can hatch your own meatie chickens. Meatie...

That's a good word. You can breed purebred Cornish if you like. People tell me that they taste better than store bought birds because they take longer to grow and are, thus, more flavorful. Or you can cross the Cornish to any of the American breeds. Those breeds crossed with Cornish produce very fleshy birds when mature, and most grow very fast.

 

[bulldog-girl]

Thanks, interesting to think about.

 

[CANDLE98]

I was told that the Cornish X's, since they grow so fast are deformed. Is this true? Where can you get just plain ole cornish chickens? Also can you have a breeding stock? That could be a money maker I would assume.

 

[KellyHM]

Actually the same chicks you use for meat are where the breeders come from. They just have a severe feed restriction program so that they don't gain the weight of the others (and therefore don't have as many health probloems). That way their breasts don't get in the way of breeding. You can google "Ross Breeder Management" to see the manual.

 

[MoodyChicken]

I've never heard of that happening. I guess people might think that they're deformed because Cornish look so funny (they have a sloped back and bulging hips). So the "deformity" is actually a breed characteristic.

Hatcheries have purebred Cornish for sale, but I'd be cautious. They're probably bred for massive meat production. Your best bet would be to find a local breeder. I can help you find one if you like. I have a pair of Cornish and they're very cute. They're simple birds, but funny birds.

A Cornish X breeding stock? Not likely, they don't live long enough. 6 months is pushing it for a Cornish X. It's better to just cross breeds.

 

[KellyHM]

LOL, I'm not making it up. I work in the poultry industry and have been to the breeding farms and hatcheries. Although I suppose I can see where people would think it an odd concept since the meaties who get as much as they want to eat are gigantic. When severely feed restricted they don't end up looking much different than regular chickens since they don't have the calories to put on the weight, and can function well, although they do sitll have a higher mortality rate. I have some of them growing out on a restricted feeding plan, so I'll post some pics of them when they are older and you can see what I mean.

 

[CANDLE98]

So is it just bread into them to eat and eat until they get huge?

 

[silkiechicken]

Check out the meat bird section. They are created though the use of two specially bred strains of cornish and rock. Both parent strains are held by companies and are used to make the eggs for the cornish x.