"Louisiana "La-yers" Peeps"

[Celie]

Last summer I bought 2 Cornish X White rocks. And in 6 months. They weighted 20lbs and 23lbs. Btw. I didn't know what they were, just that they were white. I have found out you raise the for bout 2 months just for meat birds.

Usually they are ready to process at 7 to 9 weeks of age, but Meyers sent a new breed or something, because they have not filled out yet after 4 months ! I got them in the mail on October 12, 2012

 

[luvmychicken]

Last summer I bought 2 Cornish X White rocks. And in 6 months. They weighted 20lbs and 23lbs. Btw. I didn't know what they were, just that they were white. I have found out you raise the for bout 2 months just for meat birds.

Usually they are ready to process at 7 to 9 weeks of age, but Meyers sent a new breed or something, because they have not filled out yet after 4 months ! I got them in the mail on October 12, 2012

Humm. Maybe they didn't want to be over weight. Lol.

 

[Celie]

Humm. Maybe they didn't want to be over weight. Lol.

Maybe so !!!!!!!

BTW is anyone, besides me, not getting any emails from BYC ?

 

[ssterling1776]

Check your spam folder. I realized today a lot of mine recently went there. Not sure why.
Humm. Maybe they didn't want to be over weight. Lol.

Maybe so !!!!!!!



BTW is anyone, besides me, not getting any emails from BYC ?

 

[1MrsMagoo]

I was wondering about raising a cornish line for a meat chicken. I heard they are slow growers and do not lay well, so I might cross it with a faster grower like a White Rock or would another breed be better? I bought the Meyer's special last October, lost a lot due to winter coming on before they had any feathers and the generator we had to run the heat lamps in the barn, running out of gas before morning, but it has been 4 months and these guys are still not put n much weight! I have 36 left and they are so active, they are running the feed off !
They actually are free ranging with the Layers and the Turkeys! guess they did not get the memo that they are suppose to be lazy and grow fast? LOL

Guess it may have helped the chickens if the memo was translated into a language they could speak. Plus, that all takes into account that they can even read...lol.

Yes, the heritage Cornish fill out pretty slowly: It easily takes 7-9 months for them to fully fill out. Oh boy when they do though......they are nice solid little birds. Mine are large fowl, but don't seem nearly as large as some of the other breeds out there. For instance, they are absolutely dwarfed by the German New Hampshires. However, when you pick up any of the Cornish, the roos all weigh close to 9 pounds and the hens around 7. I don't have any pictures of them dressed out, but they are a nice looking roaster.

Their egg laying varies. I got 2 decent sized medium eggs from my 3 hens both yesterday and today, but may only get 1 tomorrow and then none the next day. They also don't lay terribly well in cold weather. However, overall I can't really complain. They all go outside (when not in the breeding pens) and forage all day: They always have full crops when they return to their roosts at night. Also, for being such big heavy birds, they still fly well enough to get to the top perch which is over 54" off the ground.


You ought to hear them hit the ground when they jump down from the higher perches: It is a very loud thump that you can actually feel under your feet....like somebody dropped a brick. I hatched mine from eggs purchased from a guy with hatchery hens under roos culled from an exhibition flock.

This is my favorite Rooster, Log...he is an absolute puppy dog and comes into the feed room for his treat every morning. My other two Cornish are more stand offish and the one with the more correct body type has attempted to flop me a couple times. Luckily, they do not move quickly and due to their nice large breast make great kick balls.


This is the better rooster Brick, from behind...His legs are much shorter than the other two and are wider set apart.


Anyway, as to crossing them. I put a couple of my bigger bodied hens in the breeding pens with one of them last month, but none of the girls was laying well..so didn't get anything from those tries. I want to cross them with my Marans and my German New Hampshires...plus a particuarly large Naked Neck hen, which I will try again in the next week or so.

White Rocks would be a really good choice to cross with these to make some meat birds. I mean, we aren't trying to re-invent the wheel (Cornish X) or anything. Any breed that matures early and gets large would be good. I would think that Rhode Island Red would be good as well, since they also have the more square body shape. Also surprisingly, I have some big fast growing Easter Eggers that lay great and that may make a nice hybird as well.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Guess it may have helped the chickens if the memo was translated into a language they could speak. Plus, that all takes into account that they can even read...lol.

Yes, the heritage Cornish fill out pretty slowly: It easily takes 7-9 months for them to fully fill out. Oh boy when they do though......they are nice solid little birds. Mine are large fowl, but don't seem nearly as large as some of the other breeds out there. For instance, they are absolutely dwarfed by the German New Hampshires. However, when you pick up any of the Cornish, the roos all weigh close to 9 pounds and the hens around 7. I don't have any pictures of them dressed out, but they are a nice looking roaster.

Their egg laying varies. I got 2 decent sized medium eggs from my 3 hens both yesterday and today, but may only get 1 tomorrow and then none the next day. They also don't lay terribly well in cold weather. However, overall I can't really complain. They all go outside (when not in the breeding pens) and forage all day: They always have full crops when they return to their roosts at night. Also, for being such big heavy birds, they still fly well enough to get to the top perch which is over 54" off the ground.


You ought to hear them hit the ground when they jump down from the higher perches: It is a very loud thump that you can actually feel under your feet....like somebody dropped a brick. I hatched mine from eggs purchased from a guy with hatchery hens under roos culled from an exhibition flock.

This is my favorite Rooster, Log...he is an absolute puppy dog and comes into the feed room for his treat every morning. My other two Cornish are more stand offish and the one with the more correct body type has attempted to flop me a couple times. Luckily, they do not move quickly and due to their nice large breast make great kick balls.


This is the better rooster Brick, from behind...His legs are much shorter than the other two and are wider set apart.


Anyway, as to crossing them. I put a couple of my bigger bodied hens in the breeding pens with one of them last month, but none of the girls was laying well..so didn't get anything from those tries. I want to cross them with my Marans and my German New Hampshires...plus a particuarly large Naked Neck hen, which I will try again in the next week or so.

White Rocks would be a really good choice to cross with these to make some meat birds. I mean, we aren't trying to re-invent the wheel (Cornish X) or anything. Any breed that matures early and gets large would be good. I would think that Rhode Island Red would be good as well, since they also have the more square body shape. Also surprisingly, I have some big fast growing Easter Eggers that lay great and that may make a nice hybird as well.

Log?

 

[mzstre]

Good Rainy Morning everyone!  Hope no one setting loses power today.

Mzstre--You must have beat me to it...I asked Jerry Foley around Christmas time for a grouping and he told me he didn't have any more in the age range I wanted, only chicks.  I have only been to Baton Rouge once (I'm a Texan converted to Cajunism, ya know) but I may get you to ship me some eggs once you confirm good fertility.  I hope my three make it.  You wouldn't be planning to attend the Leesville show in March, would you?  Or the April show?

I was very lucky to get them. I corresponded with him a while before I committed. I think I paid for them at the end of August or beginning of September. He kept his best cockerel for his breeding pens and sold me the second best he grew out last year. I have 4 beautiful pullets with him. Jerry showed one of them at the Ohio Nationals and placed with her. I wanted to be sure to get them because he won't be selling chicks any longer.

Do you know the dates for the 2 shows? I'm going to see if I can manage at least one if we can juggle things around the dates. I'll let you know if I make it.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

I was very lucky to get them. I corresponded with him a while before I committed. I think I paid for them at the end of August or beginning of September. He kept his best cockerel for his breeding pens and sold me the second best he grew out last year. I have 4 beautiful pullets with him. Jerry showed one of them at the Ohio Nationals and placed with her. I wanted to be sure to get them because he won't be selling chicks any longer.

Do you know the dates for the 2 shows? I'm going to see if I can manage at least one if we can juggle things around the dates. I'll let you know if I make it.

Where do I look to know the dates and places of poultry shows/swaps/sales in south LA? I'd like to keep up with the dates in hopes of making it to some.

 

[Celie]

Guess it may have helped the chickens if the memo was translated into a language they could speak. Plus, that all takes into account that they can even read...lol.

Yes, the heritage Cornish fill out pretty slowly: It easily takes 7-9 months for them to fully fill out. Oh boy when they do though......they are nice solid little birds. Mine are large fowl, but don't seem nearly as large as some of the other breeds out there. For instance, they are absolutely dwarfed by the German New Hampshires. However, when you pick up any of the Cornish, the roos all weigh close to 9 pounds and the hens around 7. I don't have any pictures of them dressed out, but they are a nice looking roaster.

Their egg laying varies. I got 2 decent sized medium eggs from my 3 hens both yesterday and today, but may only get 1 tomorrow and then none the next day. They also don't lay terribly well in cold weather. However, overall I can't really complain. They all go outside (when not in the breeding pens) and forage all day: They always have full crops when they return to their roosts at night. Also, for being such big heavy birds, they still fly well enough to get to the top perch which is over 54" off the ground.


You ought to hear them hit the ground when they jump down from the higher perches: It is a very loud thump that you can actually feel under your feet....like somebody dropped a brick. I hatched mine from eggs purchased from a guy with hatchery hens under roos culled from an exhibition flock.

This is my favorite Rooster, Log...he is an absolute puppy dog and comes into the feed room for his treat every morning. My other two Cornish are more stand offish and the one with the more correct body type has attempted to flop me a couple times. Luckily, they do not move quickly and due to their nice large breast make great kick balls.


This is the better rooster Brick, from behind...His legs are much shorter than the other two and are wider set apart.


Anyway, as to crossing them. I put a couple of my bigger bodied hens in the breeding pens with one of them last month, but none of the girls was laying well..so didn't get anything from those tries. I want to cross them with my Marans and my German New Hampshires...plus a particuarly large Naked Neck hen, which I will try again in the next week or so.

White Rocks would be a really good choice to cross with these to make some meat birds. I mean, we aren't trying to re-invent the wheel (Cornish X) or anything. Any breed that matures early and gets large would be good. I would think that Rhode Island Red would be good as well, since they also have the more square body shape. Also surprisingly, I have some big fast growing Easter Eggers that lay great and that may make a nice hybird as well.

I love those birds! They look like a nice wide firm meaty bird and that sounds like a good meat bird for the farm. i have too many layers and need to cut back this summer, way back. I had about 6 to 8 hens go broody this past summer and knowing I would just pick them up and take the eggs anyway, hid to hatch out their eggs! When I found their hiding places, they were close to hatching out and I did not have the heart to take them by that time! The buggers raised their mutts and were very good mothers. most of them turned out to be hens and have started laying now. I have an assortment of quite a few Duel purpose Heavy breeds, hatchery chickens and some Easter Eggers and the rest are mutts. I was selling a nice collection of what I called Rainbow eggs, for eating, because of such a large variety of colors, but with the price of feed being so high, it is not even a break even proposition. I am increasing my turkeys and decreasing my ducks and chickens. I will pick out about 3 dozen good layers and sell or give away the rest. I have a few Marans that lay chocolate colored eggs, EE that lay all shades of green and blue colored eggs and the duel purpose that lay from very light brown to very dark brown. I was processing the extra roos when they got to be too many for the hens, so I am going to be looking to raise some sustainable alternative for a meat bird. I have about 10 huge Holland toms reaching full maturity this summer, too, to process for the freezer, while the new meat chicken breeding stock is growing up. I definitely want some Cornish !

Is the meat also firmer than must other chickens?

 

[MaddiWilliams]

Speaking of poultry shows....

Central Louisiana Poultry Club announced this week that the April 20 show in Jennings WILL be APA and ABA approved!
That means get your entries in bc there is a limited number of cages!

Along witht he APA and ABA Open shows we will be hosting 3 different clinics:
-Poultry 101- All things poultry
-Showmanship- You can do it!
-Exhibition Poultry- What is it & how to be competitive

The morning of the show there will also be a state vet on hand who can draw blood and test for anyone who does not have a current NPIP number of Health certificate. Once he draws blood and the birds pass, he will give you your 9-2 form which is what you will send in to the state for your NPIP Certificate!

So come show with us, get your NPIP number, enjoy the clinics, and show some birds!!

Birds with current health papers can be checked in Friday evening, all other birds MUST be tested and checked in on Saturday, April 20. Check in starts at 7:30am.