Cornish Cross Broiler

Hatching year-round.

Cornish Rock Broilers are large birds with red wattles and combs. Like all Cornish Cross varieties, they have strong-looking, thick, yellow legs, and feet. They are fast-growing, with as little as 6-9 weeks to maturity. 

Production: The Cornish Rock Broiler is one of the most efficient broilers or meat chickens available. At 10 weeks old, males can weigh 6 pounds and females 5 pounds. Males should gain just under one pound each week; females grow a little slower. Although these big, slow-moving birds are too vulnerable in a completely free-range environment, they can do quite well when raised in chicken tractors and other well-protected on-ground situations. They do not fly and can be contained with low fencing. These are the same type of broilers that Joel Salatin raises so successfully.

Caring for your Cornish Cross Broiler Chicks:

Cornish Rock Broilers grow very fast, and that doesn't leave room for many mistakes. Every aspect of their lives is condensed. Be sure that they have access to clean water constantly and that you watch and adjust the height and amount the waterers hold according to your birds' growth.

Feed is also very important. Make sure that every day counts positively toward optimal growth and health. Use high-quality and dependable food, that is fresh and not at all moldy. Chick starter is appropriate for the first 5 weeks. Switch to broiler or grower feed from 5 weeks to butcher. 

Avoid free-feeding your Cornish Rock. Offer free-choice chick starter for the first 5 days. After that, make the feed available 12 hours on and 12 hours off for proper growth. Cornish Cross Broilers don't always know when to stop eating, and if you give them constant access to food, their bones may not keep up with their body weight.

Genetics: Many customers are looking to recreate or breed their own Cornish Rock Broilers by utilizing our Cornish chickens bred to our Plymouth Rock chickens. However, the offspring of this mix will not be the same as these Cornish Rock Broiler chicks. Also, Cornish Cross Broilers are hybrids, and so if two are bred together, they will not produce the same high-quality chicks as themselves. They will also probably be too large by the time they reach sexual maturity to breed naturally. The Cornish Cross Broilers we offer have been scientifically bred for many years by scientists to produce this highly efficient production bird.

Temperament: Cornish Rock Broilers are docile and calm birds. They are not very active in general and will spend much time especially after 3-4 weeks of age, sitting on the ground. Litter and flooring will need to be kept dry and clean so that the birds do not develop blistering and bruising on the breast. They do not do well in a completely free-range environment and are not good at avoiding predators.

Body Type: Cornish Rock Broilers are very heavy, muscular, and pugnacious-looking birds. They have large, thick legs and a very wide body. These are wide and broad birds in general, with legs spaced quite far apart. When viewed from above, they have an almost heart-shaped appearance.