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

[SteveH]

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Misting wouldn't work for me either.
In this weather, I feed wet mash in addition to, or instead of, dry crumbles. Those on self feeders always eat all the wet mash from the pans before touching the dry feed. Their growth rates and egg laying aren't affected as bad, and the waters do not have to be refilled as often; though they do drop more feed in the waters, making them have to be cleaned more often. Because the CX chicks are rationed, I try to feed them only enough wet mash to last about 30 minutes to an hour, twice daily. [Will shorten the feeding time as they grow.] They have grass if they want it, but are so far content to sit untill I bring their rations again.

Last year I had problems with the rationed CX hens filling their crops to the bursting point, then running to the waterer.................................. one died of flip after drinking........................... no more problems after switching to wet mash.

 

[PegramPoultryProprietor]

Ok, I’ve been scrolling through this topic for some time; forgive me if I have the wrong thread. I’m sure the answer to this is hidden somewhere, I’m trying to come up with a good meat bird and have narrowed my rooster selection down to a WLR Cornish,( what brought me to this thread) to cross with my White Rocks. I know the big producers have some pretty secret proprietary breeding going on, but from what information I have found there have been numerous successful alternatives to the Cornish X. Does anybody have any thoughts or experiences? I am just beginning my meat project.

 

[MobyQuail]

just started cooling down and raining here last couple days, but almost 3 weeks of this...

stay cool

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

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I think that's a great start! Just get quality birds from the get-go and you'll be happier!

 

[SteveH]

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Welcome to the thread!

We know that originally the CX were breeder quality Cornish over Plymouth White Rocks, but don't know what else has been added, or if it was for sure. {Actually a Cornish X New Hampshire Red was the first, but the commercial processors wanted a white bird for cleaner looking carcasses.} The original cross would have produced pea combed offspring; the modern CX comes from 4 parent lines, all single combed, and with the sex linked, fast feather gene added for easier feather sexing as hatchlings. There is very little left, in the commercial birds we buy to feed, of their Cornish ancestors other than the broad, heavy breast.................... though I've noticed some individuals still develope a bit of that primitive looking brow projecting over the eye.

Quality Cornish are rare and difficult to obtain; those the hatcheries sell as Cornish simply do not have that massive breast and thigh muscleing that makes a Cornish the ultimate table bird. [True Cornish are both very slow growing and skimpy egg layers, making them not a breed suited to production of hatching eggs for commercial hatcheries.] IMO, the WLRCs I purchased from a hatchery had absolutely nothing to add to my attempt to develope a blue egg laying meat bird. I dressed excess hatchery sourced WLRC cockerals at the same time as excess EE cockerals; the difference in carcasses were minimal.

 

[pepper48_98]

I thought I would post a few pics of my youngsters. First is a cornish in with a meatbird project. Hatched the same day and in the same pen, The project bird looks much bigger but they both weigh 3 1/2 lbs

Next is a Dark ready to butcher. He is about 20weeksand is at 7 1/2 lbs

 

[pepper48_98]

I was trying to post another pic but finally got it

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

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Where did you get the WLRC and the DC? Looking good!

 

[pepper48_98]

These are ones I hatched this year. I have 65 on the ground and will be doing heavy culling. I will only keep 8 or 10 and fill the freezer with the rest.

 

[heritagehabitatfarms]

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i think i need to come up there and buy some of the ones you are planning on eating lol... i think you and al are the closed cornish breeders to me... ive been trying to get a start of cornish for 3 years now...