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

[SteveH]

A DC pullet, I think one of the oldest probably hatched towards the middle of July.

I weighed a cockeral out of curiosity, and it weighed just under 4 1/2 pounds, so guessing this girl at around 4. While Cornish are notoriously slow growers/developers, these birds are already carrying enough meat to process as a game hen, so I was pleasantly surprized.

 

[SteveH]

I know that Steve has been trying to work on getting something out of the CX pullets, and AMeraucana roos. I think he's got one young k right now... That would be a great start...

I lost everything to blackflies and started over, but have Ameraucana cockerals that are breeding now and CX not too far from laying. I'm hopeing a Cornish male will be ready before the CX are done laying.............................. that should produce a very large, meaty bird.

I have 18 eggs set now, but they aren't from planned mateings; I just wanted to hatch something.

There are 3 Aseel eggs and possibly a DC egg that I do want to see what hatches out......................... the rest are from layers and might make nice replacements for my laying flock.​

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Hey AL. How's it goin'?

Haven't heard from Charley for ages now. You know how he's gettin' along?

Crossroads is going to be coming up very soon, and I hope to see you guys there.

Charley is doing fine, Visited with him the other day. He lost a White Cornish rooster who was a valued member of his breeder flock and doesn't know why. He has been working on a few big barn pen's right now.

Yeah Crossroads is coming up, we are working on doing a big 2 truck carpool with a few guy's but Hotels might be scarce, things are still pretty much up in the air, but Shawnee is allways a go.

Things are fine here not much happening things are slow, I am preparing for my winter hatching season.

AL

My plan is just to stay Saturday, and not stay over, it's over 4 hrs from here so I might not make it all the way home. I'm pretty sure the local motels are booked by now, but I bet there's a Motel 8 within 30 miles if you don't need fancy accomedations, and don't mind paying less.

 

[al6517]

I am not making the plans, I chose to just ride up with the guy's if it works out that I can. The building business is slow as many know so if I land a new construction contract I am staying put to work

But hey somebody's gotta do it.

I do know several of the guy's are planing to show so the trucks should be packed with birds.

 

[doubleatraining]

I have recently decided to start working on my own nice backyard DP bird. Since you guys have a LOT more experience with this I hope to get some feedback.

Right now I have a young BCM rooster that for right now will be my cross. I am getting ready to order from Meyer. I would prefer a local breeder but I'm limited by what people choose to breed around here.

Right now the plan is to get 5 White Rock hens to cross with the BCM. I have thought about ordering a few more hens but don't know what would make a nice cross. I will also be getting some Cornish X. I will continue processing small batches of them until I can get a good DP going.

In my current batch I have a very small Cornish X. If it turns out to be a hen and it seems like she will make it...I might try adding her to the flock.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
All I have to say is that I wish to whatever that there were more breeders all over the country of different breeds. Unless you live in the east, obtaining quality chickens of your preferred breed seems impossible unless you are willing to hatch mail order eggs. Darn Tyson, et al!

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
good luck..it will take you forever...

I like to think that Hybrid vigor will add about 10 percent.. When you're adding 10% to hatchery quality birds, that prob only weigh 4 or 5 lbs to begin with... you're not getting much. when you add 10% to SQ birds, you might get 14 lb birds... Yes the SOP says these breeds are xx weight... but they're not.. From my experience, most hatchery quality birds about about half to 2/3 the weight the SOP calls for.

Personally, if I were you, I would take the money that you will send to the hatchery... and invest in a young pair or trio of birds that you want.. and have them shipped in. It only takes one male and one female, breeding and laying eggs.. and you can have TONS of babies in one year. This works great, especially if you need to butcher often, but not many at one time.

Either that, or just stick to feeding and killing CX chicks...

 

[al6517]

I have to agree with the others on this as most of us have tried several different combo's over the years all with different results but one thine we all agree on is this. You will be shooting yourself in the foot and wasting alot of time dealing with anything remotely having Hatchery lines in their backrounds. The whole phrase DP has been beaten to death by the hatcheries so that the unsuspercting public thinks that is what they are when in essence they ar far from that.

I think another choice other than a BCM will be better but again the hatchery deal will just have you so frustrated in 3-4 hatches you'll give up anyway. Try your best to get whatever you can that is of suitable heritage stock from a breeder and don't limit yourself to local breeders with just a bird that might/maybe work. If your on a budget this project may be somewhat of a challenge, use this thread and read through it throughly before you decide on breeds, it can be worth a wealth of knowledge as you won't have to endour any misteps we have made and also share in the parts we have tried that worked. Some on this thread went the hatchery route for whatever reason for project stock and their results have been minimal at best.

All I am saying is go through and read and see what might work for you and spark your intrest afterall if you don't like the birds you get the project won't excite you and with all the trial and error you need to stay upbeat and it's a task that takes a long time.

 

[chickened]

Also worth noting is some breeders advertise as show quality when in reality they won first place at the county fair with a hatchery bird and no real competition. I bought some WLR off ebay once that are nothing more than hatchery stock, long skinny legs and no mass and the lacing sucked. The picture was good along with the info I got from the seller. It took me 3 plus years of looking before I got the birds I have now and they were a fluke from a person that had shown in the past and had life plan changes that forced the selling of his birds. They were $150.00 each. I now hope I do not manage to screw up his work.

Quote:
good luck..it will take you forever...

I like to think that Hybrid vigor will add about 10 percent.. When you're adding 10% to hatchery quality birds, that prob only weigh 4 or 5 lbs to begin with... you're not getting much. when you add 10% to SQ birds, you might get 14 lb birds... Yes the SOP says these breeds are xx weight... but they're not.. From my experience, most hatchery quality birds about about half to 2/3 the weight the SOP calls for.

Personally, if I were you, I would take the money that you will send to the hatchery... and invest in a young pair or trio of birds that you want.. and have them shipped in. It only takes one male and one female, breeding and laying eggs.. and you can have TONS of babies in one year. This works great, especially if you need to butcher often, but not many at one time.

Either that, or just stick to feeding and killing CX chicks...

 

[Minniechickmama]

Quote:
good luck..it will take you forever...

I like to think that Hybrid vigor will add about 10 percent.. When you're adding 10% to hatchery quality birds, that prob only weigh 4 or 5 lbs to begin with... you're not getting much. when you add 10% to SQ birds, you might get 14 lb birds... Yes the SOP says these breeds are xx weight... but they're not.. From my experience, most hatchery quality birds about about half to 2/3 the weight the SOP calls for.

$150 OUCH!!!!


Personally, if I were you, I would take the money that you will send to the hatchery... and invest in a young pair or trio of birds that you want.. and have them shipped in. It only takes one male and one female, breeding and laying eggs.. and you can have TONS of babies in one year. This works great, especially if you need to butcher often, but not many at one time.

Either that, or just stick to feeding and killing CX chicks...