Hypothetical Question

[new2chickens2011]

Hi all,
Just a question. Completely hypothetical, as I am processing my Cornish X next week. However, I was just wondering, if I didn't feed them alot, let them free range, etc. and they lived a long time, when would the hens lay eggs? Do you have any who have lived that long?
Thanks from a newbie!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
maybe..BUT they wont be true Cx....theyd be a chicken but not CX because they dont breed true when bred back to eachother...there are lots of folks that have had them live months even up to 18 months-BUT they are not bred for that and usually die from heart attacks-joint issues etc...

 

[peterlund]

Quote:
How do your Cornish look now? I assume they are 6-8 weeks old. I will bet they are already just sitting in place eating, and some have sprocket leg and some have twisted toes and all are poop machines..... They would need to be at least another 14-16 weeks older to just be able to lay..... Imagine the issues they (and you) would have by then..... Are you having a change of heart in processing? If not, harvest as they were bred to be, and get a slower growing breed for your future egg needs.....
I don't think you meant you wanted to breed them by your post.... but as sonew123 said, they will probably not breed true.

 

[new2chickens2011]

They are 8 weeks old, and no, not having a change of heart at all! Can't wait to eat home grown meat!
They actually are fairly active and don't have foot problems. THey run around when I let them out which is usually all afternoon. Yes, though, they poop a lot!

I AM NOT keeping them until they reach laying age OR breeding them, I just was merely curious. I have DP hens for my future egg needs

Thanks!

 

[jjparke]

You can but they continue to grow. My neighbor had to call me to dispatch 2 that he let grow to 4 months old. They were the size of turkeys!!

 

[new2chickens2011]

Quote:
Wow!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Yes they can live longer. Mine started laying at 6 months old and they layed double yokes frequently. They lived until they were 4 yrs old.

 

[Ariel301]

You would have to start them on a "diet" and get them excercising and free ranging from the beginning. You can't raise them to grow fast and then change your mind, at that point they are going to have leg, heart, lung, and liver problems most likely. I had some that I kept for about 9 months, two hens. They started laying, about an egg every other day, and they got enormous, about 15 pounds. After about two pounds, they lost all interest in free ranging and just sat around. I had to watch them closely because they would try to climb into the goats' water bucket to cool off, and would drown, they had no sense of danger at all, they would stand right in front of the wheelbarrow when I was pushing a load of something, and if I didn't go around them, they'd stand there looking stupid until I ran over them. Mine at least needed pretty much constant babysitting.

If you can get them to the point of laying, they will breed somewhat true. I never hatched any of mine because they died from the hot summer weather before I was ready to hatch. Others have done it though, and had decent results. You certainly won't breed them and get a Leghorn type, the offspring will be meaty, obviously, though they might not be identical to the original.

 

[RAREROO]

Yes it is possible if you raise them like you described, they can live and reproduce. I have used breeder hens that were excapees from a commercial breeder house after the season ended, and bred them too heritage breed roos and I have also used a couple that were the actual CXs that are used for meat and their offspring grew much faster than regular heritage breeds without the health problems of CX.

 

[new2chickens2011]

Hmm. Okay. Interesting! I never plan on doing it but was interested in knowing. Thank you!