Same old question, new thread. Sustainable Alternative to Cornish Cross?

[NatJ]

If you look at broiler parent stock videos, you will see that none of them have pea combs and they look like Cornish X on a once a day feeding ration.

Yes, I agree.

The first "Cornish Cross" were a cross that included Cornish, but then producers started breeding both sets of parent stock in ways that produced better broilers. The pea comb is one of the traits they bred out. By now, yes the parent stock just look like Cornish Cross on a diet, because that's basically what they are (female line selected more strongly for egg production, male line selected more strongly for some of the other traits.)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Well, just like anything else, won't happen for sure if you don't try.

I'm not saying don't try - I've already linked the thread documenting my own efforts. I **AM** saying, moderate your expectations and extend your time scale. Even the Color Broilers and the various Ranger line are the products of decades efforts - efforts which don't satisfy you.

 

[Oddyseous]

Well, I kinda thought your problem with CX is they don't lay.
For certain, you're not breeding if you're not getting eggs. Ducks get nice and fat in about 9-12 weeks. And they're really easy to keep, very winter hardy. But they're not the meat bird of choice because you're not getting eggs when you want them. They're a seasonal treat/specialty.
So,,we bred ducks that will give us eggs whenever we want them! And - like chickens - those birds are thinner all over and not as fat and growthy when young.

Basically, something has got to give. If your flock won't give you the eggs you need for chicks when you want them, you don't really have a breeding project. And if they lay well and consistently, their energy is going into that and not meat.

My problem with CX is they don't lay due to certain death if surviving past 10 weeks old. What I'm saying is they don't have to be good dual-purpose, they don't have to be good layers, but to list the issues after 10 weeks straight from my local hatchery (Cackle Hatchery):

Cornish broiler chickens beyond this age will have health issues of the heart, bones, muscles, and tendons plus sores from sitting all the time.

I'd like to avoid the above issues, that's all. The Rangers look good but don't quite fit the bill for me, but come as close as I can find.

To clarify, I realize they also aren't meant to live past 10 weeks, but due to this, they also aren't what I'm looking for.

 

[CNJ]

To clarify, I realize they also aren't meant to live past 10 weeks, but due to this, they also aren't what I'm looking for.

Rangers are usually processed at 12 weeks, but they can live normal lives without health issues. However, they may not breed true since they are crossed with something. However, Henry Noll's New Hampshire chicken line will breed true and they were bred for meat.

 

[NatJ]

My problem with CX is they don't lay due to certain death if surviving past 10 weeks old.

You could raise them on very restricted feed from a young age, which stunts their growth and keeps them from getting too large. This is what the commercial raisers do for the breeding stock that produce the Cornish Cross chicks.

 

[Oddyseous]

Rangers are usually processed at 10 weeks, but they can live normal lives without health issues. However, they may not breed true since they are crossed with something. However, Henry Noll's New Hampshire chicken line will breed true and they were bred for meat.

Where can I look at Henry Noll's New Hampshire chickens?

 

[CNJ]

I found a thread that bred Cornish X to Red Ranger with interesting results.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cornish-x-red-ranger-cross-project.781732/

 

[CNJ]

Where can I look at Henry Noll's New Hampshire chickens?

I posted a link on page 2, this farm has the Henry Noll line https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/shop/product/new-hampshire-gmo-free-chicken/

 

[CNJ]

To clarify, I realize they also aren't meant to live past 10 weeks, but due to this, they also aren't what I'm looking for.

Someone on this BYC forum did an experiment with Cornish X and turned them into regular free range behaving chickens. They even perched high in trees. You have to search the forum on how he did it. They lived normal lives with out obesity health problems. Basically he rationed their food and forced them to free range.

 

[Oddyseous]

Yeah I think I'm going to avoid the CX entirely in my experiments.