Red Laced Cornish X and project talk (pics p. 8)

[SteveH]

All 4 CX cockeral over EE and Ameraucana eggs I left in at lockdown were clear , as I thought . The CX boys did not get any fertile ; although a very few I cracked earlier sure looked to be .

I only had two fertile eggs fail to pip and hatch , one was a SS's first egg and the other a CX egg . I ended up with 4 Ameraucana x CX chicks plus another 10 Ameraucana x SS or GLW living ; a large black chick , an Ameraucana X SS or GLW , was unable to stand . I culled it after the others mobbed it .

All things considered , I'm happy with the hatch ; with what they went through , its an absolute miracle that any hatched at all !

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I really am impressed. I'm a terrible hatcher. Now let's see some pics of those CX crosses

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Looks like your on your way to a good CX x EE flock!!! Pics please!!!

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Not much to see , but here you go .

Both the CXs I have purchased and the CX crosses I have hatched are the same size or even smaller than the other day olds . The biggest difference is that the CX are wider stanced , heavier shanked than the others . In a few days they will have started to outgrow the others .

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Wonderful! How many CX x EE's do you have total now? SO neat!





I am thinking about giving up on my CX crosses and processing them all, and then getting / working with a closed flock of Freedom Rangers. Basically just keeping 2 separate flocks, one for meat and one for eggs. Lots of reasons I guess. One being that the cornish just don't seem vigorous, they are dirty and can't / don't walk around much even though they are free ranging. I am worried about them croaking before I can even get any eggs. Second is that they eat a TON. LoL. (Even though the FR probably will too). And also that with my egg laying flock I can work on getting a sexlink, but if I introduce the CX all that goes out the window. I just don't know I am so up in the air, LoL.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

WMR - changing gears is not giving up!!!!

Steve - looking good and alive

keep us up to date I'm excited for you.

 

[SteveH]

Thanks Katy . About the

I'm just sending all my eggs to you from now on!!!

, now that I've told everybody my secret method of hatching only the strongest and healthiest of the chicks , everybody can copy it themseves . [ Its too hard on an old man ]

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Only 5 .
I wouldn't have used the CX myself if it were not for their double breasts and dominate white color , and may add some FR later myself .
Personally I think the smaller size of the Ameraucanas will make the F1s a pretty healthy bird , but those useing larger , meatier breeds crossed to a CX will have the better ones .

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Another reason I am thinking about switching to FR, is because both myself and bf like dark meat better and I heard they have more dark meat, whereas a Cornish has more breast meat... see now I am talking myself into it...

 

[SteveH]

Quote:

I prefer dark meat myself . Seems most people like the white meat , and I prefer the look of a broad breasted bird . The CX do have large thighs and meaty drums , but they don't look as big due to that big breast kinda making them look smaller . But with the FR , you would not be feeding extra to produce extra breast meat , and I'll bet you would be happy with them .