[lloydy1989]

i have a reasonable size allotment with a couple a laying chickens but i wanto try a meat bird not a layer any suggestions on what birds are full of meat and good eaters and also where can get them from i am looking for cornish game as day olds or fertalized  and have searched every were for them any,one know where i can get these from many thanx.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Lloydy, it would help if you put your rough location in your profile so people know whereabouts you are!

We bought a cornish game cockerel this summer to run with some of our girls to try to get a decent meat bird rather than the commercial ones we buy, we tried him with a RIR, a LS, a hybrid and now he is with 6 BarredPlymouth rocks, but I did read that really we should have had the cornish hens running with the RIR, LS or plymouths.

Had no chicks yet as the girls can run faster than him!

We bought him locally to us in Lincolnshire though.

[lloydy1989]

yer that would be a good idea to put my address im from the rhondda i am near swansea many thanks for the reply

[GrannieAnnie]

Just go into your profile and click on 'modiy profile' then click on forum profile information, type in Rhondda!  Then people can see where you are situated aas it will show under your forum name when you post.  

Also have a look here,

http://www.poultry.allotment-garden.org/poultry-suppliers/poultry-suppliers-wales.php

perhaps there is someone near you on the list who does the Cornish Games.  They are also called Indian Game.

Good luck!

[Spana]

I've got a few Cornish Game hens that I crossed with a Dorking cockerel, when they were younger.  It made a  really good flavoured table bird but they need to be allowed to grow.  Ive also crossed them with LSussex and straight Cornish and they are all good.
I started off with eggs bought at the local auction, see if you have a poultry auction near you.

[GrannieAnnie]

So would you agree Spana, that its better to have the hens as cornish game crossed with different cockerls?  Did we do wrong in buying a cornish game cockerel?

Darn!!!

[cluckingnuts]

I use IG hens for crossing. A lot of cocks have large breast + short legs and have difficulty mating. I have been selecting IG cocks with slightly longer legs as breeders.

[Spana]

So would you agree Spana, that its better to have the hens as cornish game crossed with different cockerls?  Did we do wrong in buying a cornish game cockerel?

Darn!!!

 

Well no, i wouldn't say you were wrong.  As cluckingnuts said usually the cockerels have very short legs so would have a problem with a big LS hen.  Your cockerel may have longer legs like mine did and be OK.  As you've got him give him a chance and see what he does.   I've heard that a lot of the CG cockerels are not very fertile for some reason so that may be  why its better to have hens for Xing.

The CG hens make the worst mothers ever, mothering instinct  0.  My cockerel was a nice friendly chap but hated chicks and killed several.

This was him, note the longer leg.  He was called The Big Bu**er Jubilee hen behind, she still about

[jinty1911]

Somebody is advertising a trio on Omelet.  Think is was in West Midlands.
Jinty

[GrannieAnnie]

These people look promising Lloydy, are they too far away from you?

http://castlefarmeggs.co.uk/?page_id=52

They had an advert in the River Cottage forum today