I'm Confused how do Hatcheries get Cornish Cross hatchlings?

[Howard E]

I suspect most reproduction of these meat bird breeds is accomplished via use of artificial insemination.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Most of it is not done using AI. In fact it's much more common for cows on small family farms to have AI than chickens because keeping a bull is harder than it is for the big companies to keep around a bundle of roosters and let them just do their job.
Also AI is expensive and given how often chickens lay you have to keep re-doing it all the time. It's just not practical.

"In most commercial chicken production systems in the USA, it has not been necessary to implement AI programs because natural mating results in adequate fertility levels"

(https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...verview-of-artificial-insemination-in-poultry
Citation)

 

[nicalandia]

They get hatching eggs from specialized breeders of terminal chicks, they themselves(the specialized breeders) get the parent stock from Great Grand Parent Stock corporations(not many listed).

To clarify a few things. The grand parent and parent lines of the terminal cornishx are feed restricted so bad, they suffer from Chronic Hunger and the hens even when starved get too fat to be productive at just 60 weeks of production.

One side of the Grand Parent line(Sire) are absolute monsters bred for size only and are even bigger than the terminal cross, the Dame line of the grand parent line are sex linked Dwarfs their size is reduced about 30% to make the Dame line of the parent line, these Dwarves lay more eggs per cubic meter than standard sized hens, they produce more hatching eggs, eat 30% less and are somewhat healthier but are also feed restricted ad lay to 60 weeks of age.

 

[nicalandia]

This schematics is from Hubbard.

The Final Terminal Cornish Cross will be. Males are Dw+/dw(regular sized as Dw+ is dominant over recessive sex linked dwarf dw), the Females will be Dw+/- from non-dwarf sire.

 

[nicalandia]

https://www.hubbardbreeders.com/products/conventional-females/7747-hubbard-f15.html

Some people may think that Cornish and White Rocks are still being used as parents, well that is for sure out of the question in Grand Parent and Parent Line, but for Great-Grand Parent lines(which very little is know) is really not out of the question, just research about a close line of White Rocks at Virginia Tech by Paul. B. Siegel. There is a Heavy line that can reach about 4 pounds in 4 weeks. I am sure the same selection pressure can be applied to Cornish breed to create Larger faster maturing breed for maximum Heterosis

 

[ChocolateMouse]

That's fascinating that they use recessive dwarfism to manage the size issues in their flock.

 

[MomJones]

It's sad. I knew this and therefore determined to never purchase Cornish X chicks. But I accidentally ended up with 12 that I thought were Light Brahmas (there were absolutely no labels nor was anyone present who had a clue what they were). I've been kicking myself since the first week in August when I bought them. Because of their extreme hunger issues and the fact that 3 or 4 of them are roo's, I've kept them in their own coop and run. They'll go to Freezer Camp starting October. Everyday I go out and observe them, their freakish looking bodies and excessive need for food, followed by exhaustion. The roo's are pretty aggressive, that's true too.

Why we even allow this kind of genetic manipulation is a testament to the moral fabric of our nation IMHO. Frankenchickens. They'll never be able to lay eggs like normal hens, they aren't able to function as roosters either because of their abnormal weight-to-skeleton ratio. Yet still I've been picking each one up, holding it, trying to treat them like my other birds. The poor things...now I'm depressing myself again

 

[ChocolateMouse]

:T I've actually found that, when raised with care, they have extraordinary personalities and are very active. I've had them live long enough to lay eggs and reproduce and they've been my favorite flock members. I've never found them to be sluggish, they are always at my feet begging for food or running after bugs, grazing, you name it. Very wild.

Given that they also tend to have twice the feed conversion ratio of other chickens (lbs of food in vs lbs of food turned into muscle) they're one of the more economical and possibly even ecological options for meat. (Though not the most flavorful.)

Also, it's hardly got to do with our nation. Animals are bred to giant sizes all across the board, some just for funsies. Great danes, extra big draft horses, belgian blue cattle or that one holstein that was stupid huge, even very tall/heavy people no matter how athletic like weightlifting champions, they all suffer from the same health problems cornish cross chickens do of the heart and legs.

Mind you this is just my experience. I find they take a little extra care to get them there over an egg hen but yes they can be extremely delightful birds under the right circumstances. It always makes me wonder what I'm doing different to have active, pretty, happy CXs that I butcher at 12 weeks to the tune of 10lbs each and everyone elses are somehow miserable. But regardless of the cause I've never experienced that extraordinary unhappiness that others have with CXs. I think they're about the most fun I've ever had raising chickens.

View attachment 1915503
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One of my favorite cornish cross pictures of my flocks. Those are hardly unhappy/unhealthy chickens.

 

[Oddyseous]

I don't know but it really is difficult for me to stomach the health issues related to the entire Cornish Cross breed and feel like kicking someones ass for it existing. However, the healthy, hardy, friendly, and even larger Jersey Giant I pay my respects and look forward to ordering next year.

 

[nicalandia]

Why we even allow this kind of genetic manipulation is a testament to the moral fabric of our nation IMHO.

The rest of the world has benefited from the exceptional feed conversion ratio of CornishX, setting aside all of the animal welfare issues, they along with Prolific egg layers have helped the world tremendously in our requirement for High Protein Source at a accessible price point. Otherwise the price of chicken meat would be even higher than beef or Pork.