What is the difference between slow and fast cornish?

[zippychickens]

I just recieved 26 slow growing cornish. What is the difference between slow and fast cornish? More specific, what breeds are they?

 

[miss_jayne]

did you get cornish or cornish cross????

if it is a regular cornish, then they grow like a regular chicken...cornish cross only take 6-8 weeks to mature to eating size.

 

[arlee453]

Slow growing cornish are likely pure bred cornish. They take about 16-20 weeks to mature to eating size. They don't have as good a feed ratio as the cornish crosses but also don't have the physical problems the Cornish Xs have.

Can you post a picture or describe them? What color, etc?

 

[zippychickens]

They are just little yellow fluff balls. I ordered them from Privett Hatchery advertised as slow cornish.
So are cornish a good tasting bird? will they dress out at the large weight as a cornish x just take longer to reach that weight?

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
It sounds to me like it is a Cornish, not a Cornish Cross.

They grow slower and don't get as big.

 

[willheveland]

I think each hatchery may have something alittle different.I know that MM has a slower growing cornish x they call the Cornish Roaster,they grow slower but,only by a few weeks maybe going from 8 weeks process date to 12 weeks instead.They do get bigger than the X-rocks if you compare the 8 week old to the 12 week old.I have raised them before and got some males pushing 13lbs.It didn't take the time that it would like the ones people often call the "dual purpose".
As far as what breed they are? It's not that easy as calling out two breeds that makes that bird,I think they are a project that takes a long time to produce,if you know what I mean.They are not the result from just putting two breeds together. Will

 

[zippychickens]

Thanks for all the info. This is such a great site! It's so nice getting questions anwered so fast. thanks

 

[dancingbear]

Zippy, I looked at Privett's website, are the ones you got the Slow Cornish listed under "Broilers and Meat Birds"? If so, you probably have the Cornish broiler that grows just 2 or 3 week slower than the regular Cornish X.

A purebred Cornish takes about 6 months or more to mature, and they don't get a big as the meat breeds. By the time they're very big, they're pretty old. Nice birds, but not practical as a meat breed. (But like any chicken. perfectly edible if you cook it right for the breed and age)

 

[greyfields]

The difference is about 4 weeks. Seems most slow cornish are ready at 12-14 weeks.

Basically, every hatchery gets their hatching eggs from the same big breeders, all of who have breeding flocks from the 3 large broiler producers.

In their catalogs, there are umpteen different "Cornish Crosses" offered, all given alpha-numberic designations. Each strain will have a slightly different FCR, growth rate; some will be better at altitude, others at sea level. The differences are truly only a scant % or two, but for huge farms it makes a significant $$ difference.

 

[zippychickens]

Yes, I ordered the slow cornish off of the meat birds catagory. I wonder if I should have just ordered fast cornish? I guess slow cornish isn't supposed to have the health issues of a fast . Well, it is fun trying new things.
thanks