Pictures Comparing Dark Cornish Hatchery Stock with Breeder Stock

Sue, that is interesting about the eggs. The PChant eggs are very oval and not very 'egg' shaped. It is often difficult to store them 'pionty' end down without candling them.

Cindi, Sue, The eggs of the Large Fowl are not overly large but I do have a marked differeance in size between my Bantam and Large Fowl Cornish. The eggs of the bantams are the size of my Plymouth Rock Bantam, which is a larger bantam and yes the eggs tend to be more round on some females. I have to use different trays to incubate them, they are so round.
Cindi you would enjoy the Bantams as they are sweet little boulders.

I have again gone back to the picture of the hatchery stock birds and can't get over the lack of type and the tails on these birds (please don't get offended TripleJ as I know you have others that are exhibition type) and you see them to compare on a daily basis. But I am shocked what the hatcheries have done to them.
Coopslave and anyone else in the know do you think there is something else in them to make so completely different, Though I note the combs look o.k.and I don't doubt that they are egg laying machines, as they look like they might be.

Triple J do you ever get single combs from them? I just find this unusual as with all the juding that I have done and I have seen lots of hatchery type Cornish at shows I have never seen them with this much tail and that kind of tail set. Interesting to say the least.

Also interesting about the PChant eggs but goes back to the Cornish in the development I would guess and that body type.

Heather

Sigh...oh Heather, bantam dark Cornish, could I do that? Could I do that? Could I do that? I need to put my hands underneath my legs in the event that compulsivity overcomes me, smiling. Maybe we need to have a talk, I do need to come and get something from you, very soon, involving something made of wood. Oh what is wrong with me, I have such little self control when it comes to certain things, oh well, that is me, just need to always do that happy dance! Have a most beautiful day, CynthiaM.

viczoe wrote:Cindi, Sue, The eggs of the Large Fowl are not overly large but I do have a marked differeance in size between my Bantam and Large Fowl Cornish. The eggs of the bantams are the size of my Plymouth Rock Bantam, which is a larger bantam and yes the eggs tend to be more round on some females. I have to use different trays to incubate them, they are so round.
Cindi you would enjoy the Bantams as they are sweet little boulders.

I have again gone back to the picture of the hatchery stock birds and can't get over the lack of type and the tails on these birds (please don't get offended TripleJ as I know you have others that are exhibition type) and you see them to compare on a daily basis. But I am shocked what the hatcheries have done to them.
Coopslave and anyone else in the know do you think there is something else in them to make so completely different, Though I note the combs look o.k.and I don't doubt that they are egg laying machines, as they look like they might be.

Triple J do you ever get single combs from them? I just find this unusual as with all the juding that I have done and I have seen lots of hatchery type Cornish at shows I have never seen them with this much tail and that kind of tail set. Interesting to say the least.

Also interesting about the PChant eggs but goes back to the Cornish in the development I would guess and that body type.

Heather

Heather, I will have to post pictures of my white hatchery and white breeder cornish. You will be just as shocked to see the difference between them. And yes, the hatchery cornish mostly have a single comb. I wonder sometimes if people become confused between true cornish and the cornish giants you can buy as meat birds.

Sue
I sort of thought that about the comb, though don't know if that is true of the darks but the more I look at them there must be some Barnvelder or something like that lurking back there, just guessing though and an interesting thread. Pictures of the whites would be interesting too. Thinking back at all my judging at some really latge fairs in the U.S most of the Cornish I see are not hatchery stock I don't think but just poor long legged Cornish, they generally look like Cornish but you can tell they are just breeding from birds that likely should not be used as it is easier to breed frrom the really long legged ones.

The birds that I use are short legged and breed just fine and are very competitive in the show pen. When people use longer legged ones some people seem to think that means legs that are really long. They need only be a slightly longer, barely noticeable if at all.

Heather

Triple J do you ever get single combs from them? I just find this unusual as with all the juding that I have done and I have seen lots of hatchery type Cornish at shows I have never seen them with this much tail and that kind of tail set. Interesting to say the least.

not so far viczoe no straight combs yet..., they are a very poor example of a cornish yes very much so, i am thinking barnie or something was bred in there, their eggs are different... [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] hatchery cornish on the left... my breeders eggs are much darker? and smaller....
i do have ot say tho the hatchery cornish lay like troopers, and the roos are decnt size for butcher but thats about it...

Here are two pictures of a hatchery Cornish hen:

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Here are two from a Cockeral from a show breeder in BC:

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Here are three of a young pullet:

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sue the hatchery whites are even worse than my hatchery darks LMAO! wonder what they are crossing with them? of did they ever even have cornish to start with? maybe breed a bunch of cornish looking birds together? weird..

They do lay HUGE eggs. I am crossing them with an Ameraucana roo. The girls should lay giant blue green eggs and the boys will be dinner. They are very large birds.

Single combs too. Some have a sort of pea comb.

So wonder if they were trying for the. Meat white cornish rock types? My dark cornish hens are small, but decent weight, the roos bigger....but mine as you can see have pencil legs lOL

Sue, good close up pictures. I can't even believe that the hatchery white cornish are cornish. Really? I know that they are what you say, but what on earth has gone wrong. When I think of cornish, I think of great stumps for legs and the hatchery girls you are showing have skinny legs. What on earth is really with that. I know NOTHING of the breed, but holy smokes, even these untrained eyes see something that is just not right for the breed. Why do people do these things and call them cornish? I don't get it. Maybe I am just not seeing something in the big picture of bird stuff, but that bugs me. I love those yellow stumpy legs of the pretty white ones, what loveliness!! Have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

Great pictures Sue, I really don't know what to say, there is definitely something in there and it's anyones guess, barely resembles a Cornish if you look at her head almost Plymouth Rockish as well as the leg color and tail set.

Looking at the eggs your hatchery girls lay TripleJ I can see there must be as I suspected Barnvelder or the like as the egg color is all wrong for a Cornish, I am surpised no single combs though.

Well at least you guys can eat them and get eatting eggs but I think it is a darn shame that the hatcheries take people's hard earned money for birds that are not even close to what the breed should be, when these birds are obviously not Cornish esp. when we have picked them apart to this extent and made such a comparsion. This was a most educational thread and I hope you agree. I guess it's buyer beware but it still tics me off and shame on them. This thread really shows the importance of exhibition breeders, even though I know many people are down on us, but just think what would become of our dear Cornish for one, without us.

Thanks again for being candid ladies, it would be interesting to do this with other breeds so people can see there is a difference and the uphill, if not impossible task they will sometimes face. I am happy that you two ladies are pushing ahead with your proper Cornish projects.

Heather

Looking at the eggs your hatchery girls lay TripleJ I can see there must be as I suspected Barnvelder or the like as the egg color is all wrong for a Cornish, I am surpised no single combs though.

i dunno viczoe, the one on the left is the hatchery, the almost white ones, they are much lighter than the breeders eggs? if they had barnie in them wouldnt they be darker, they are mostly all shades from light like that one to almost pink... yes this has bee a great thread, i would love to see other examples of hatchery vs breeder...its very interesting !

The hatchery Cornish were gifted to me last fall. They are lovely birds and lay a gigantic egg! I am breeding them to a huge Ameraucana roo to create large bodied males to eat and girls who hopefully will lay a huge blue green egg. This will be a terminal cross.

There is the big diffence. The hatchery stock lived outside all winter without complaint. I don't think I could ask that of the show stock.

i agree with that sue, my hatcheries ones loved it outside! they were out even in -20! didnt bother them...wheras shrek requested i stoke the fire, and give him some mittens, and a toque...LOl

I think the cold hardiness of the hatchery stock is due more to thier feather type as I can see from the pictures they are not as hard feathered as the better quality Cornish.

Hope Spring is finding everyone as my Cornish have been in outside pens for way more a month and I have been mowing grass like mad for the past 4 weeks.

Heather

My Cornish have been out in the tractors for a week. I hope the eggs will be more fertile and the ones who stopped laying will be laying again soon. Our weather has been so bad..

Sue you will amazed what lots of natural sunshine and length of day does to boost the fertility esp. the L.F Cornish. I never bother to collect eggs in my L.F until they have been outside. No matter what Cornish are warm weather birds and mine will be loving it as they project us to go as high as +30 in the coming days.

Heather

viczoe wrote:Sue you will amazed what lots of natural sunshine and length of day does to boost the fertility
Heather

It sure makes ME feel better! I hope the fertility does not apply to humans, though. To old for a kid here!

I must have round eggs on the brain or something. Last night I had a dream that I had round eggs coming from my oval egg shaped birds, and they were so big I could not close the egg carton. Go figure. I remember too, the colour of the egg, and the hue was pink, go figure. Excellent thread, by the way, have an awesome day, CynthiaM.

You KNOW you want them, Cynthia.

more pics to entice you cynthia...

Jennas bantam cornish hen Penny [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

shrek showing off for the camera...( as you can see he was eating mud LOl )
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Oh miyorka!! What is it about my forum friends that can always bring that biggest smile to my face, thank you all for being you!! Penny, oh the eye, oh the eye, something about some breeds of birds and their eyes. Shrek, what on earth was he thinking, eating mud, didn't he feel a photoshoot coming on. What lovely things to look at Triple J, such good close ups, and oh those eyes.....have beautiful days, CynthiaM.