Question about cornish X

[halo]

I corrected the previous post.

 

[cassie]

They are hybrids - they don't breed true. Just like hybrid seeds for plants or the breeding to make mules, they are the end cross of a mixed selection for breeding. The parent generations aren't going to look or act or gain like the cornish X, but will carry their own attributes. When crossed, the resulting chicks carry the correct mix of genes for fast growth, high feed conversion, and the carcass traits required.

Breeding is not done from the resulting stock, but from the grandparent/parent stock. The cornish X aren't expected to reproduce.

Think if you're breeding mules. You can't breed two mules together to make another mule. You have to breed a horse with a donkey to get your mule.
Breeding Cornish X isn't how the breed is propagated, the breeding of two specific lines of chickens (non-Cornish X) gets you the cornish X.

Also, they aren't pitiful creatures that need sympathy - they are pretty amusing little buggers. Otherwise I don't think they would be so popular with folks raising them at home. They require attention and care to grow well, but they are worth it. I enjoy raising them as much as I do other livestock.

The difference between the Cornish X and mules is that, unlike mules, they are not sterile. They are the result of crossing two different varieties not two different species. They will reproduce. They just will not produce offspring like themselves. Otherwise your comments were very good. Personally, I like raising the Cornish X. They are amusing to watch, and I really like the big roasters I can raise but cannot get at the store. I like to butcher mine when they will dress out in the twelve pound range. We had one that dressed out at 16 pounds, but I don't recommend that.

 

[Beekissed]

It depends on how you raise them if they have health problems. I'm convinced that these birds do not have nor are just born with health problems. Many people raise them quite successfully and the birds do not "eat themselves to death" if you don't provide the food source for which they could do so.

 

[bluere11e]

The difference between the Cornish X and mules is that, unlike mules, they are not sterile. They are the result of crossing two different varieties not two different species. They will reproduce. They just will not produce offspring like themselves. Otherwise your comments were very good. Personally, I like raising the Cornish X. They are amusing to watch, and I really like the big roasters I can raise but cannot get at the store. I like to butcher mine when they will dress out in the twelve pound range. We had one that dressed out at 16 pounds, but I don't recommend that.


Ok, Now you have my interest.. Why would you not recommend dressing a 16 pounder..

I want to push the stats and see how big they'd get.. in how long..
How long did it take to get to that weight and was it a roo or hen

 

[booker81]

Heh, the mule analogy was a loose one, only because I have a friend with a mule and had been chatting with her

A more accurate hybrid analogy would be say, the varieties of vegetables grown popularly, like Early Girl tomatoes. They are definitely tomatoes, the seeds will grow tomato plants, but the resulting "children" tomatoes will not carry all the characteristics of the "parent" Early Girl tomatoes. They still and always will be tomatoes from tomatoes, and will grow, but, just not with the selected qualities.

I still like my Cornish X for meat chickens, but I do garden with heirloom veggies (I'm an Amish Paste or Brandywine fan).