Purebred Cornish - growth rates

[bantamfav]

Hello, I'm a 4H poultry leader, and we are looking to create a class for our poultry show for heritage meat birds (non-hybrid). I'm looking for information for how old a Cornish (not bantam) chicken would be to gain about 4lbs weight? Or asked differently, what lowest age/weight would a Cornish need to be to at least be considered filled out enough to be judged as "finished" for market.
Also, are there issues with keeping Cornish without intention to harvest? I know the hybrids (cornish X or X rocks) are bred specifically for harvesting.
Thanks much!

 

[Trimurtisan]

Also, are there issues with keeping Cornish without intention to harvest? I know the hybrids (cornish X or X rocks) are bred specifically for harvesting.
Thanks much!

No, they can do fine at older ages. One of the ladies I know has a couple that are 3 years old. They get around like any other chicken. To the best of my knowledge she doesn't do any special rationed diets. They free range most of the time.

 

[Papmike]

I applaud you for wanting to bring HB to a meat pen class at the fair.
These type of birds were the best from the local farms before money took over. Same way for the pigs ($200+ piglet) being broughtu in from out of state breeders for county fairs.
Off my soap box now.

 

[Papmike]

In this forum is the white cornish for sustainability thread. Long read may may have some information you can use.

 

[archeryrob]

This would interest you. I started a small flock with dark Cornish from Ideal Hatchery. I kept track of them by weight in weeks on this post on my blog. They are not true Heritage, but they should have been. I was disappointed with their sizes and conformation. Not really breed standard at all. The right colors but lost the stocks shape mostly.

I killed the two small roosters at 24 weeks and they where short of 5.5# and dressed around 4#

Better heritage stock might perform better, but i am not sure by a lot. I am about ready to get rid of these. The breast are not big, not big birds and the roosters are aggressive. I thought about trying better ones but keep hearing about breeding problems and might just end my cornish experiments.

 

[bantamfav]

No, they can do fine at older ages. One of the ladies I know has a couple that are 3 years old. They get around like any other chicken. To the best of my knowledge she doesn't do any special rationed diets. They free range most of the time.

Thank you for the info - this is good to know. Our 4H kids aren't as keen on raising birds that must be harvested, so this is a way to teach them about meat production, and they still get to keep them in home flocks.

 

[bantamfav]

In this forum is the white cornish for sustainability thread. Long read may may have some information you can use.

Thank you - With this covid-19 "shelter in place" situation - I'll have time to go through the thread!

 

[bantamfav]

This would interest you. I started a small flock with dark Cornish from Ideal Hatchery. I kept track of them by weight in weeks on this post on my blog. They are not true Heritage, but they should have been. I was disappointed with their sizes and conformation. Not really breed standard at all. The right colors but lost the stocks shape mostly.

I killed the two small roosters at 24 weeks and they where short of 5.5# and dressed around 4#

Better heritage stock might perform better, but i am not sure by a lot. I am about ready to get rid of these. The breast are not big, not big birds and the roosters are aggressive. I thought about trying better ones but keep hearing about breeding problems and might just end my cornish experiments.

This is awesome data. Thanks for documenting your project. What type of feed (protein %) was used?

 

[archeryrob]

Standard grow/starter about 22%, but like I said, I've seen dual purpose birds grow faster than then ones I documented.

 

[bantamfav]

Standard grow/starter about 22%, but like I said, I've seen dual purpose birds grow faster than then ones I documented.

Got it - thanks. Sounds like a good project for our 4H junior leaders to work on, perhaps with white cornish from a different hatchery.