Busting Myths (mostly) about the Cornish Cross

[nicalandia]

Never considered saving any for breeding. Everything I have read says they do not breed true.

Interestingly enough, Everything I have read about EW-Aviagen and Tyson-Cobb parent stock(they control most of the market) has lead me to the conclusion(they will not specify it of course) that it does Not matter if they breed true or not, I keep hearing people say that a lot as if any of the progeny of the F1xF1 will magically turn into a slow growing dual purpose bird with narrow breasts. No that is not what is going to happen.

The Grand parents of the Terminal cross are Broilerized(fed ad libitum to 5+ pounds in 4 weeks), to make sure they adapt well to the feed and rearing conditions that their grand offspring will do well on the market.

You may ask why they go to the trouble of creating Different Lines(A,B,C,D) to make the terminal cross? It's all about efficiency. When you are dealing with Millions of chicks per year it make sense to shoot for the most production efficiency, something that a backyard breeder would worry too much about.

Line A and B are designed for maximum growth(reaching about 2.4 Kg when males are Broilerized), line C and D are designed for maximum breeding efficiency(most eggs per hen, reaching 2.1 Kg when males are Broilerized), AB Males are mated to CD Females to produce the Final terminal chicks, these chicks are a mix, hens can be poor layers due to their sire, but when properly taken cared of(feed restriction from early age) they will produce progeny that will gain weight really fast. Nobody could possibly hope to produce better broilers than the big names, that is beyond the scop of people that do not have multi billion dollar R&D breeding department.

 

[Molpet]

better broilers

If better broilers is size, weight gain quickly for the mass market... this is correct. They have spent decades perfecting a inexpensive protein source.

I want a sustainable, decent size that I can harvest at my leisure.... I'm old and moldy and only do a couple at a time.

 

[nicalandia]

If better broilers is size, weight gain quickly for the mass market... this is correct. They have spent decades perfecting a inexpensive protein source.

I want a sustainable, decent size that I can harvest at my leisure.... I'm old and moldy and only do a couple at a time.

When properly done, backyard bred broilers(Offsprings of Terminal cross) are only second to the industry bred broilers.

Industry Bred Broilers> Backyard Bred White Broilers/Toads > Colored Broilers>>> The rest

 

[nicalandia]

 

[CNJ]

Just because something can be done doesn't mean it should be. Anyone who thinks Cornish X are like regular chickens either hasn't spent much time with them or they have a very peculiar idea what regular chickens are like. That said, Cornish X remind me of bowling balls on legs.

My Jumbo Cornish from Mcmurray look different then the ones on this thread. They have shorter legs and look like bowling balls. But I didn't restrict their feed until after 8 weeks.

 

[CNJ]

is exceedingly hard to keep them in good shape for breeding, why on earth would someone go to the trouble just to keep is beyond me.

Because they have dinosaur DNA.........

 

[CNJ]

2016 I kept a CX pullet and bred her to a random mix roo. Most of my flock are descendants of 2 roos from the breeding. Cockerels dress out around 6lbs at 16 weeks

That beats heritage breed weights at 16 weeks.

 

[nicalandia]

That beats heritage breed weights at 16 weeks.

Quite comfortably at that.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

To the OP: this was very interesting and i loved it! I’m so glad you shared this info and i hope people will begin to understand that these birdies don’t have to be fat, ugly, smelly, sickly meat birds! Thank you for proofing them wrong

 

[Tre3hugger]

That beats heritage breed weights at 16 weeks.

My heritage NHs are 7 lbs at 11 weeks.