# Cornish X Brahama For Meat Production?



## Hillgirl (Jan 23, 2011)

I am trying to find a breed of chicken that I can grow here on my place that will plump up and make nice meat birds at a fair age. I purchased 25 Light Brahama chicks this spring and at 5 months old they still have very little weight, being all fluff and bone. I have tried the Buff Orphington, Black Australorp and several other so called dual purpose breeds in the past only to find the same problem. I dont have to have something the size of a turkey, just something that will make nice meat for my family. I had considered the high preformance hybreds but they sound like to much expense and trouble! I now have a flock of very nice (but light weight) Light Brahama pullets and a cock or two. I was wondering if any one had tried crossing a Cornish rooster onto a Light Brahama? If so, what was the outcome?
I am even willing to purchase some White Rock pullets and a Cornish rooster if this cross will produce a nice table bird. I have put so much money and hard work into these Brahamas with little to show for it!! I know there are no dual purpose birds going to plump up like a cornish cross. Any suggestions on making my own cornish cross?


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

Bramas and cornish ar both slow growing. You would get a better meat bird than straight Brama but still not quite what your looking for. If you could get some white rock pullets or any color really. Even deliware or RiR pullets an a Dark Cornish rooster they would produce a decent meat bird for home production


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

I had some welsummer x maran with a little penedesenca that I loved. Huge, not too bad of growth rate, large chocolate eggs.... Sadly they fell prey to a stray dog and then a fishercat. By the time I can get more chickens again it's doubtful the breeder will still have that line available. 

I think it makes a huge difference if you find a breeder who is breeding for meat and do not go with hatchery stock. Hatcheries don't care if their dual purpose breeds are truly dual purpose and some don't even care what they look like. They mostly just care how many eggs they can hatch out and sell every year. I've found so much difference between breeder birds and hatchery stock that they might as well be different breeds. It's like comparing working dogs and handling show dogs. They are hardly the same thing.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

I know someone on another forum who really likes the Slow White broilers from (IIRC) Welp hatchery (it could be Meyer, but one of those two). She says they grow faster than the dual-purpose breeds, but don't outgrow their body systems like the Cornish X do. She's raised some to adult-hood and said the hens were good layers and they seem to reproduce themselves fairly well (as in, the chicks were similar to the parents -- I imagine it would take a few generations of selecting and culling to get them to the point of being a 'new breed,' though). I've considered trying them, but prefer colored birds over white ones. I still may get some one of these years, though.

Of the dual-purpose breeds, those said to make respectable meat birds include the Delawares and Cuckoo Marans (at least some strains). I'd try the Delawares first, if you live in a climate with hot summers, as the Continental breeds I've had don't seem to handle heat as well as American and Mediterranean breeds do.

Kathleen


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## eclipchic (Oct 24, 2010)

Of the breeds we raised this year we were really impressed with the barred rocks, the turkens and dark cornish boys. They took 16 weeks to reach a decent weight but they all look pretty good dressed out. They are no cornish x though


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

From personal experience I find the cuckoo marans grow to a good table weight by 3-4 months, they're easy to sex at a young age, plus they're great layers of big dark brown eggs.


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## PulpFaction (Jul 23, 2009)

I LOVE Welp's slow white broilers. Great layers, too! No health problems. Good birds, all around.


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## lilachill (Apr 2, 2006)

Took 10 roosters to the butcher yeaterday. (It was time, too many birds) They were hatched this spring. The Delawares were heavier than the Buckeyes. Since I would like to get away from the Cornish X (raised my 1st batch in a few years this year) and raise a dual purpose bird, I have to be more alert to butcher the roos at the right age. In my limited experience, dual purpose bird will just not have the breast development as the CX. The legs on my free ranging birds are not the succulant, grillable pieces that a CX can give either. I find the flavor of the dual purpose breeds to be excellant. I can roast 2 or 3 birds, depending on how many will be at the table. This time I am going to try to can the legs for quick meals, pot pies and soup.
The Brahmas I raised did not fill out as quickly as the Delawares in the same time frame.
My Dark Cornish hens did not lay as many eggs as I needed so maybe using a DC rooster could give you the genetics you need with a more productive laying breed.
If you are looking for a roasting bird, have you considered ducks? The ducks butchered yesterday were the same age as the chickens but have a meatier carcass.As ducklings they eat about as much as chicks and after feathering they eat less free ranging and eating mixed grains.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

I could be wrong but I don't believe the Cornish X will breed true. Have you ever thought of Freedom Rangers?


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## hhhandyman (Apr 28, 2011)

We tried some Freedom Rangers this year and were very pleased with the results. We raised them along with some replacement pullets (Production Reds) and butchered at 12 weeks. They were fed chick starter and dressed out at 5-1/2 to 6 lbs. Very easy to pluck and none of the problems associated with Cornish X. Next year we will do a direct comparison of 50 Freedom Rangers and 50 Cornish X to see if the feed costs are the same. Can't say if they would work as dual purpose, as we butchered them before maturity.


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## PulpFaction (Jul 23, 2009)

My understanding is that Freedom Rangers are still a hybrid and will no more breed true than a Cornish X.

We had several people working on the ever elusive "dual purpose super bird" and I think all in state have decided that there is just nothing that beats the efficiency of the Cornish X. Even me, die hard heritage breed enthusiast, will get Cornish X until I can't anymore!


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

I've got some Pekin ducks that were supposed to be 7 pounds at 7 weeks. They all made that weight, even the females, and the largest male was 9 1/2 pounds.

No leg problems, no heart problems, no health problems, and they breed true. They also have nice calm friendly temperaments.

If you are careful what you buy, some lines of Pekin are good productive egg layers, too.


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

I have one Dark Cornish hen and have been hatching only her crosses to see how they do. I have three that are going to freezer camp tonight, one's a Cornish X Barred Rock, the other two are Cornish X Wyndotte/Americana. They are somewhere around 4.5 mos. (I would actually like to let them go another month or 2, but am forced to cull early). Will let you know how they weigh tomorrow if you check in.


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## Hillgirl (Jan 23, 2011)

Thank you for all the imput!! I am not actually wanting a dual purpose breed, we have egg chickens, I want a meat bird that will lay enough eggs to hatch out the next seasons meat. I am probibly going to try the Rock X Cornish cross and see how it does. I dont care if the offspring will breed true or not as I dont plan on them ever making it that far!! ROFL 
Where would be a good place to purchase a few good meat quality rocks and cornish? I purchased from Murry McMurray hatchery this spring but I dont know about some of the chickens. We purchased Dominiques, Lt Brahamas and Cochins from them. The chicks were very hardy and we only lost a couple. The Dominiques are awsome as were the cochin pullets. BUT, the Brahamas had a couple so far that grew out deformed (one bad twisted leg and one with a hunch back). I know the different strains grow off differently depending on what gene pool has been isolated. Any suggestions on where I can find good meat bred chickens? I am not really afraid of McMurry hatchery especially since the other breeds were so good, but I thought there may be some place even better focused on the meat breeds.


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## PulpFaction (Jul 23, 2009)

Hillgirl, for your purpose I really, truly would HIGHLY recommend those Slow White Broilers from Welp.


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## Hillgirl (Jan 23, 2011)

Ouch, are them the chickens that have to have the really high protein feed, vitamin/mineral addatives and take restricted feed intake? 
If so, I considered them before deciding to try one of the other breeds. I think they are too much money and work for what Im looking for. I also want something I can produce right here without having to order each year.


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## PulpFaction (Jul 23, 2009)

Nope, they are not. They are large chickens with well-developed breast meat that live perfectly normal, healthy lives on the same stuff you feed your other birds, which is the only reason I'm recommending them to you.  They also laid one large egg every day, even through our winter months here in AK. You are thinking of the "Fast Broiler" types like a regular Cornish X. These grow out a little slower, but are still better than any conventional "dual-purpose" bird I have seen and lay like crazy. Meat and egg making machines.

Here's the one: http://www.welphatchery.com/rare/slow_wht_broiler.asp

I don't know about other hatchery's but Welp's are absolutely stellar birds.


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## Hillgirl (Jan 23, 2011)

Oh! No thats not the ones i was thinking about. Do you know if they will breed true? Or do you have to re-order each time?
They look good!!! Any idea what they cross to get them?


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## PulpFaction (Jul 23, 2009)

No idea what they cross them with, but we hatched a bunch out this spring and butchered at 4.5 months and they were HUGE, but very healthy, having been raised as if they were layer pullets! Now I wish I had taken weights.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

hhhandyman said:


> We tried some Freedom Rangers this year and were very pleased with the results. We raised them along with some replacement pullets (Production Reds) and butchered at 12 weeks. They were fed chick starter and dressed out at 5-1/2 to 6 lbs. Very easy to pluck and none of the problems associated with Cornish X. Next year we will do a direct comparison of 50 Freedom Rangers and 50 Cornish X to see if the feed costs are the same. Can't say if they would work as dual purpose, as we butchered them before maturity.


I doubt it will be the same if you let your Freedom Rangers free range during the day. I raised CornishX and they wouldn't free range at all and just laid there eating feed all day. 50lbs feed bags were just light snacks for a mere 25 of them. They do however taste very good and had big breasts and even big wings. You might save a bit on feed with Cornish X due to butchering 3 to 4 weeks earlier than the Rangers but I doubt it will even out. Where did you order yoru Rangers from? Do they breed true?


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

Disappointing results from our butchering last night - but this was of no surprise since I culled way too early. As a rule of thumb, I like to let them get to the point that the boy are crowing good and steady - at least 5+ months on good feed. I don't think these were even making noise yet. These were Cornish/Wyndotte crosses. They came out to 2.8 & 3.2 lbs - so poor that I actually quit since it seemed a waste to continue. We'll be thinning the duck population this week also, which will help the feed bill and will assist better results later. 

What I CAN tell you from our experience raising and slaughtering "dual purpose" crosses is that it takes a good long time to get them to a respectable weight and you'll likely not get quite that full breast you're used to - BUT THERE'S MORE....! If your birds free-range, as ours do, you'll also be sacrificing tenderness as well. We have adjusted our cooking methods to accommodate an older, tougher bird. This is fine for us as we have much lowered expectations and eat meat sparingly, but most folks would never find it worth the while. It gets expensive - the sort of conundrum we're now dealing with - and you'll have to prepare your birds differently too - i.e. with the dual-ies at 4+ lbs, I wouldn't count on tender grilled breast of chicken. 

We have a close friend who doesn't like the Cornish X's and therefore tractors Freedom Rangers. (_"tractors" - an action verb only used on HT_  ). He likes them very much, grows respectable birds in a shorter amount of time, and gets some decent breast meat as well. His chicks only come from hatcheries.


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