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

[urbanagrarian]

Quote:
Instead of Barred Rocks, you might want to try White Rocks. They seem little meatier to me and white birds are always easier to dress. We raised White Rock roosters for eating one year. They were about 5 lbs dressed at 14 ish weeks.

A few posts in my blog that show them.

http://urban-agrarian.blogspot.com/2006/11/chicken-butchering-part-1-prep.html

http://urban-agrarian.blogspot.com/2006/09/how-to-weigh-chicken-easy-way.html

 

[ginasmarans]

You could just order the chicks from a hatchery and process them in 6-8 weeks, then order more if you need them. I don't think they are very expensive,probably not as expensive as keeping breeding stock. If you decide to raise your own,there are several "dual purpose breeds" The marans breed are one. They are bigger at 4 months old than most 8-10 month old chickens. I keep the pullets and give my neighbor the roos to process. He gives me a few back in exchange. We have a good set up.

 

[tiki244]

The Cornish/Rock crosses from the Hatcheries and industry are genetically modified. Someone has patented or is trying to patent the gene that causes their FATNESS/FAST GROWTH. They have much more body fat than a good old roaster of the 1970s. So for health reasons and/or moral/ethical reasons I would rather eat a good Rock or Cornish or homemade cornish/rock. Orpington

 

[BirdBrain]

I haven't found a hatchery yet that sells White Cornish. Some of them sell White Laced Red Cornish. What is the deal with this? Do you know anyone who sell the White Cornish?

If you were to cross a white rock roo and an Buff Cornish, wouldn't they make a nice bird AND be sex-linked? ....Just got to wondering.

 

[urbanagrarian]

Quote:
It's news to me that Cornish/Rock cross from hatcheries are genetically modified. I didn't think that was so. Can you back up that statement?

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

You may want to look back at this post http://backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=12691


You may want to read up on freerange in other countries as well.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/labelrouge.html#6

As to are cornish X genetically modified through very selective breeding, yes they are specifically line breed as two lines of parent stock, father line and mother line. It isn't until the final cross that you get birds that unnaturally grow to butchering size in record time. There is a wonderfully boring and very long article online. Yes, they are trying patent the genes, that is true. I know they have patented the exact lines, that is why hatcheries get the eggs to hatch, they don't usually keep the parent stock on site.

 

[tiki244]

Yes I must look it up.... it is a quote in a book that has documented sources.....I will post back here soon....I dont have the book physically with me but will get ..Kris

 

[silkiechicken]

Leslie is right. Hatchery birds are NOT modified by genetic messing on the DNA level. They are genetically modified by good old fashioned selective breeding. Genetic engineering in the good old fashioned way of picking out the best breeders and so on to make two strong parent stocks that form the Cornish x ready for market in 42 days. Yes, they are licensed and protected because it takes years to do the breeding to get strains that grow the way they do.

It is also a myth they are fed hormones and that a vegetarian feed is a good thing. Hormones are not approved for poultry use in the US and chickens are omnivores.

 

[tiki244]

I stand corrected.......However,now that my curiosity is peaked I will be getting that book back and find the page I read that on and report back to you urbanagrarian......It will probably take about a week to obtain the book, then it wont be long to find the page I read it on....I dont know if I should mention the title or not