So confused with Cornish Chickens

[GoldenPooper]

I am really confused with Cornish chickens. We are wanting to raise some Cornish (because of the fast growth rate and they were recommended as good meat birds) chickens for the freezer as well as a 4-H project meat pen. As I was looking into how to raise these I have been getting confused with classification of the chickens. I am seeing Jumbo Cornish Cross, Dark Cornish Chickens and Cornish X being interchanged. Can someone help me with clarifying the differences as well as which would be better for the freezer or the 4-H Project. Any help would be appreciated, as well as any tips. Thank you everyone.

 

[Fred's Hens]

The Cornish is an ancient breed. Dark Cornish and the rarer White Cornish. They are a slow growing, large breed of chicken.

The birds you want to raise, apparently, are the commercial crosses, the hybrid, fast growing modern bird. These are products of crossing several varieties, originally. Cornish was used, as was White Rock. That was decades ago. Today the modern hybrid, commercial broiler is marketed under a confusing array of "brands" and "names". Different poultry companies have bred to their own desires. The terms used are legion. CornishX, CornishRock, Jumbo, etc, etc, These names are a bit of a misnomer as these hybrids ceased being a Cornish or a Rock a long, long time ago. These birds are hybrids, highly specialized, carefully selectively bred to be what the modern broiler is.

It is unlikely to ever find the old breed, Cornish (either White or Dark) as chicks being sold at a feedstore. They are far too rare. The commercial 9 week to finish broiler is sold everywhere. Does that help?

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Most hatcheries will sell Cornish (the breed) and Cornish X (also see the names Fred's Hens gave above).

The dark Cornish and white-laced red (red-laced white? I forget) Cornish are not what you're looking for. Those are usually in with the rare breeds or laying breeds in a chick catalog. You want the big mean-looking white bird with the giant yellow legs if you're looking at a photo.

Also, call the hatchery and ASK. Make your order over the phone. They will be happy to help you get the right birds.

 

[bHen]

Good advice

 

[GoldenPooper]

Thank you everyone. That helps alot. The name game was really confusing me.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Good luck with your broilers!

If you haven't already, check out the Meat Birds Etc. forum here at BYC. While I raise some broilers every year (20 in the brooder now, 12 more ordered for the end of April), there are some folk are SERIOUS about their meat birds that frequent that forum. They will be very good at helping you get set up with your chicks. Meat birds aren't exactly like layers, and I find them a bit more challenging.

With a laying breed, you can pretty much make sure they have chick starter and water 24/7 and that they have a place to get warm, and that's all you really have to do to raise decent layers. With broilers, they take a bit more management. They are more likely to overheat themselves, they shouldn't have food 24 hours a day (some people do give free choice food), and you may want to change what you feed them at different points in their short lives. They are also very, very dirty things and will take a lot more cleaning and bedding to keep them from stinking. So if you haven't already, head over to the Meat Birds section and do some reading!

Good luck! You are in for some of the most delicious chicken you've ever eaten.