Do White Laced Red Cornish Lay Very Well?

[superchickie]

I have 3 of them, and I'm hoping they're girls.

I have no idea how to tell right now. They are 7 weeks old. If they are girls, will they lay very well?

Can someone tell me more about this breed, please? I'm clueless!!

Thanks a bunch!
Karen

 

[Dustin Biery]

Just to start things out I have never had the red-laced cornish, but I did have the dark cornish. They layed about 2 eggs a week. My biggest problem was fertility. The males get so much muscle, seems like they have trouble getthing the job done. But that is just my experience. Hopefully someone else who has had good luck can chime in.

 

[biretta]

Cornish are a game breed and are not bred for laying purposes, i.e., their egg production will be disappointing. I have read that they lay only in the Spring, and not many at that. If you want eggs for eating I'd look into getting a layer breed.

 

[greyfields]

I keep and breed dark cornish as well. My dark cornish hens started laying before my black sex links did last Spring. I was really stunned. What I really like about the Cornish is they are very active and love to forage. They fly out of their enclosure every day to get in with the pigs and eat the leftovers. None of my sex links, RIRs or Rocks even consider it (my Sussex are very active too and do like to fly out and wander).

As far as volume, I think if you get decent quality animals, they will lay on par with any other purebred. Their eggs do tend towards medium size than jumbo. I've had two Cornish go broody already in their first year, so they are in the sensory depravation chamber for awhile. For some people, that is a good quality though.

Now, the White Laced Red Cornish have been bred for that particular color pattern. Therefore, they are more specialized than the dark or white cornish. My guess is they will lay less well than the dark cornish.

If I didn't mention it, I love my Cornish. Really cool critters that are very unique among chickens. They're like little bulldogs. I have a pen ready to do my first batch of homegrown Cornish Crosses right now. I'm very excited for that!

Oh, one more note, regarding sexing. The females will have smaller combs. BUT, beware, the females will also develop these really tiny spurs as well. Don't let this fool you. The males' spurs are much larger and rounder than the girls'.

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
The Cornish rooster is the ultimate terminal sire for meat bird crosses. I don't think you can say they have a general issue with mating. Mine seem to do absolutely fine regardless of the breed of hen I put them with. Because of their wide breast and upright stance, it seems they're able to get right into the zone without issue.

I have heard, however, of some males which were shooting blanks. For anyone breeding in their backyard, it's always a good plan to keep an extra male in case this happens... or in case you have Great Horned Owls, or Coyotes, or foxes, etc.

 

[superchickie]

Yeah, I will get some known layers in the spring. That's what I really want. These were freebies from a fair and I had no idea what they were when we brought them home at 1 week old. I think I also have a white faced spanish pullet too, also a freebie.

Greyfields- these WLRC have like zero combs right now. I would think that a male might have more than these do....would that be right? And yes they all have teeny tiny spur buds.

Thank you to all for the info!

 

[greyfields]

You have got girls, then. The male pea comb is very small, but it's still larger than the females.

 

[Tammy N]

OK this is Hard to sex Cornish i have the white LF cornish i think 2 pair but WTHeck ? any help photos are the best i can do with a cheap camera phone my turkey pulled my camera strap and broke my lens LOL thanks and Dark Cornish never seen one pics please

 

[3riverschick]

There's a great book on wlrc at Hathitrust Digital Library.
Https://m.hathitrust.org
"Laws Governing the Breeding of Standard Fowl"
Just type in " breeding laws Card".
The book is by Wid Card and titled : Breeding Laws....
He was the creator of the wlrc
He explains their genetic history in the book. Full view, keyword searchable.
Best,
Karen