What two breeds of birds need to mate to give me the Cornish X?

[marcuscarr]

I would like to get a rooster and a few hens of the variety that would make the Cornish X that are ready in 6-7 weeks.

Can I just save a few out of a Cornish X chick order and breed them?

Thanks,
Marcus

 

[silkiechicken]

They use a cornish hen and a rock rooster I believe. Thing is though, your standard rock rooster and cornish hen won't give you the 6-8 week meat birds from the hatcheries because they have special strains of each parent stock. There are people on here who are trying to make their own strains so you can try to do that too. In my opinion, it is not economical to try to keep cornish x alive so long they can lay eggs. Plus, a cornish male is unlikely to be able to do his job well and F2 generation crosses don't have the same characteristics as the F1 generation. Plus, the losses at an early age due to health problems isn't the best for the commercial meat birds.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

CornishX (cornish crosses) will not breed true because they're a mix breed. I believe the cross is a white cornish and a white plymouth rock. To get true CornishX is an industry secret (conspiracy theory) because the line of cornish and rocks they use have been bred for the purpose of growing fast and big.

 

[marcuscarr]

Would I be just as well off hatching out Barred Rocks and processing them when they become big enough?

Marcus

 

[Cuban Longtails]

You have to remember that they will mature slower and there will be less meat than you would get with a cornishX. Why not raise the cornish breed for meat purposes? They come in various colors and they're pretty hefty birds by 16 weeks.

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

You may want to look into some of the other varieties that are raised as a quick dress chicken. I often see people advertise Cobb as a quick cornish style bird and if you research with google, you will see mentions of several kinds of birds like Corndells that are used in organic free range outfits.

With all of these birds, your breeding stock has to be fed a lower calorie diet to curb excessive growth, like one would do with bb turkeys and they are usually a.i. for fertile egg production.

I have found red sexlink males grow quite large in 16 to 20 weeks. With them, you are producing known layers that are easily sold and pretty meaty males. Caponizing is a lost art that I eventually want to learn more about, as I think that it would make unwanted cockerels have a purpose again and produce a more flavor filled bird.

FYI I have raised out cornish X's, the males grow too large to mate with the broad side of a barn and their appetites are ferocious. If you cross the hens with just about anything else, we did notice the chicks were noticeably larger. I have some that started laying at 4 months and they are now 2 1/2 years old and still waddling around.

 

[skeeter]

what about a cornish rooster on some different types of hens??I think greyfields is trying something like this,I found some white cornish but i dont know if they are going to give me any

 

[CovenantCreek]

What about keeping your own White Rock roo(s) and a flock of Cornish hens? Wouldn't the chicks have some/most of the characteristics of the hatchery Cornish X? They wouldn't be the "jumbo" or "fast growing" varieties, but shouldn't they get big enough to dress faster than dual purpose breeds and possibly even have fewer health problems than the typical broilers?

 

[marcuscarr]

I may try a few variations. This is more for my entertainment and some healthy meat in the freezer than anything else. I am really not that concerned about either time or feed conversion. Heck, if I get an egg to hatch, I will be happy.

Marcus

 

[Motel Chix]

The hatcheries have the best blood lines but I believe it is a White Cornish Rooster to a White Rock Hen. Here is an Interesting fact sheet from Purdue University

http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-518.pdf

I have 10 White Rocks I may try picking up a White Cornish Rooster this summer and Try. I will update if I do.
Good Luck