trying to figure out which bird i want. pls help with info!!!

[nicalandia]

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the only way to help an endagered breed is to make it popular again, Delawares are just the breed for you, the grow fast, put on weight and lay well, what else...? you want to help them? keep them and tell friends how good are they....

 

[jaku]

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I'm not sure if that was a typo, but if you find a bird that will lay a few eggs per day, please let me know!!

 

[saddina]

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I'm not sure if that was a typo, but if you find a bird that will lay a few eggs per day, please let me know!!

I think he means a few eggs from several birds goober.

 

[dancingbear]

You could maintain a flock of whatever rare dual-purp breed you like, and keep a standard Cornish roo (not to be confused with the Cornish X broilers strains) for when you want to raise a few for meat. That way you can have your layer flock of rare dualies, and still cross with the Cornish for meat. You'd just have to make your roos take turns being with the flock. Your dualie roo when you want to hatch pure breds, and your Cornish when you want meat.

The unwanted-at-the-time roo would have to go in "chicken jail", maybe with a few hens for company, a movable tractor would make the confinement not so bad.

You'd have to take the unwanted roo out of the flock at least 3 weeks before you wanted to save eggs for hatching. Then during the part of the year you wouldn't be hatching anything, which for most people is from late summer through spring, both roos could run with the flock. If they don't fight too much, anyway.

Brahma X w/Cornish make a pretty good meat bird, and Brahmas lay well enough, and are excellent broodies and good moms, at least the light Brahmas are, my buff Brahmas didn't brood. Dark Cornish (what I have, other colors are much the same, I'm told) are also excellent moms, and good brooders. I have a dark Cornish hen who will hatch out 3 or 4 clutches a summer, if I let her. Australorps are good moms, not quite as broody as the other two, though, my Orpingtons have not been brooders, except for one, years ago, and she brooded once.

 

[Buster52]

We have similar goals and have decided on a standard Cornish (Dark Cornish in this case) for our meat birds. They are not endangered, but they are in the Watch category. They are heritage birds, give good meat (they are the "meat" part of the Cornish X meat birds), and breed true and naturally.

Mind you, we only started this particular project. 25 Dark Cornish chicks a week ago with the intention of raising them to 4 months, take out the best hens and a few good roos (depending on the number of hens) for parent stock and eat the rest at five months.

A small difference is we will incubate 50 at a time in the spring and summer to raise sufficient numbers for dinner throughout the year. Much easier to raise broiler birds by age group, I think. Less bullying that way.

As you research these you will find a lot of confusion out there. People confuse them with the Cornish Rock X, which is a whole 'nother bird entirely, and think they must be AIed. If it is a true standard Cornish, this isn't accurate.

Good luck on your search.

 

[pepper48_98]

Buster..........

You and I have somewhat the same goals. I have some cornish and am going to try differant crosses to find one that works for me as well as prue bred. I have the white,dark, and red white laced.

 

[Buster52]

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I had thought of that, but that would require some segregation, and that's more work than I want to put into it. We do want to sell some off-season pure stock at auctions and such, and I think it would confuse people if we mixed them even if they were all Cornish. As it is people get confused about Cornish.

I can already picture the conversation... "These are mixed Cornish." "Cornish Cross??" "No, just mixed Cornish varieties." "What are they mixed with?" "Other Cornish." "So they're crosses?" "No..." etc. For the sake of clarity and honesty, they need to be pure stock if I"m going to sell them.

Kinda wish we had gone with the red white laced instead of the Dark, though. Those are some pretty birds.

Speaking of crosses, what are you considering for yours, if you don't mind my asking?

 

[pepper48_98]

I have wellsumers and marans to cross with now but I am looking for show white rocks. I am just starting this project so who know where it will take me.

 

[pepper48_98]

I plan to keep pure stock also as keeping the colors pure. They are show stock and who knows, I might even try showing a few.

 

[zephyrcreek]

According to the article in Backyard Poultry April/May 2009 there is a breeder in MD that selects Dels for meat. The website is www.whitmorefarm.com. If I remember correctly they are ready to process at 12-14 weeks. Also I just found out that the Dixie Rainbows that I buy from S&G Poultry are considered a breed vs a hybrid and should breed true. The Dixie Rainbows avereage 165-170 eggs per year. www.sandgpoultry.com.