Two Im a little confused on...

[Pele]

Quote:
You won't likely have the choice of keeping as a layer with your Cornish X.

x2 Your Cornish will start to die soon. As much as I identify with your aversion to butchering your birds, it's actually cruel to let her go too far. She'll start to suffocate from the weight of her own internal organs, and her heart will start to falter from strain. She'll become less and less mobile, and more and more miserable.

It's pretty much the reason that I avoid owning Cornish Crosses like the plague, I'm too much of a softy and would probably do more harm than good wth them by letting them grow too large. It's the unfortunate reality that they've been bred to the point where they grow so fast and large that it kills them.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[MinnerBuckwheat]

The cornish X will likely never lay eggs and likely would not survive to be egg laying age, or at least not with a good quality of life. They are bred to be butchered young and their hearts and legs cannot take their bulk after a few months. They really shouldn't mix those in straight run bins because people need to know if they are getting into a breed like that.

 

[silkiechicken]

Your Cornish x is a boy too, so even if you did keep for eggs, you'll just get crowing. Feather growth on him is normal, nothing to worry about. He's in very good condition for a meat bird!

 

[mommto3kiddos]

Your banty & mine could be twins

... Crele Old English Game Roosters

Here he was at 8 weeks...

And at 12...

I also have a meaty girl & she is currently 17 weeks old and doing great! I couldn't bring myself to cull her. She eats, drinks, & ranges great. Goes up & roost on the top roost with the rest of my girls.. Your GIRL should do well also!!

 

[Kaelinstorm]

Im glad yall told me this. I did notice she looked miserable already but I just thought it was the heat. Shes always laying down and panting like crazy. At the risk of sounding like a big weiny this really hurts my heart but Im glad to find this out now instead of later. I will definitely NEVER buy a Cornish again... :-/ Thanks all.

Oh and Mommato3kiddos that is hilarious how much they look like each other LOL I just hope mine doesnt finish getting that bigger comb and start crowing at me! But Im pretty sure its already them all for over 2 months... well shoot thats 8 weeks... Well so far no crowing though LOL I was hoping because it was so small (even for a Bantam) that it meant it was a girl... you totally dashed those hopes with your little Roo LOL Thanks! Teehee

 

[Kaelinstorm]

I found out what Bacon is - thanks to another post!! Yay!! Shes a.... (drumroll) Silver Pheonix!! Haha The babies look JUST like she did

So Tada! Mystery solved!

I have decided to give up the cornish to someone else who is willing to slaughter and eat her for me so her poor little self doesnt go to waste. I just dont have the heart to do it myself and I know even if I did I dont think I could eat her as well. Like I said I would hate for her death to be in vain.

Not that I am trying to replace my sweet little Biscuits but I have decided to hunt for a Silkie Bantam. I think one would be great to own

Thank you all who have helped me figure this out and have shown me the light about the Cornish Cross - I will never get one again

And its definitely taught me to really research your bird before you buy because they may not always know what it is inside those bulk bins at TSC :-/

Anyway Thanks again!

 

[chickschool]

Do all meat bird have to be culled or just the cornish?

 

[usschicago1]

Quote:
Just the Cornish X

BTW, I have heard many stories of people keeping cornish x with success! One person actually had/has a 19 pound male who was 2 years old I believe. I believe you have options.

Mark

 

[akcountrygrrl]

What color is the silver one's legs? If they are yellow, then I would lean toward silver Leghorn on the breed.

 

[Kaelinstorm]

Ive decided not to on the cornish because she already looks like she is on the verge of a heat stroke. We are in a large drought with temps reaching no less than 95 degrees and normally in the upwards of 98-100+ :-/ I think it would be cruel to keep her. If I lived somewhere with more moderate temperatures I would maybe rethink this.