Description

Jumbo Cornish Cross Chicken

The Jumbo Cornish Cross Chicken is a cross between the commercial Cornish chicken and a White Rock chicken. The cockerels can reach 6 lbs, and the hens 4½ lbs, by 6 weeks of age. Other names for this meat breed are Cornish broiler, game hen, Cornish X, and Cornish/Rock chicken.

The Jumbo Cornish Cross broiler chicken has been dominating the commercial meat chicken market for the past 50 years. Cackle Hatchery® currently offers the “Ross 308” bloodline/strain. It is your best option for efficient feed/time to butcher weight and the best choice for meat chickens. Raise these chickens in a free range chicken coop and try out your best chicken recipe to delight your family.

Tips for Raising Jumbo Cornish Cross Chickens

The Jumbo Cornish Cross is developed specifically to harvest for meat. We do not recommend it as a pet or for breeding.

We also recommend raising these chickens separately from other poultry. Because of their fast growth rate they may trample smaller breeds.

Feed a high protein ration that is 21% or better. To raise one chick to 8 weeks of age takes roughly 14 lbs of feed. At 8 weeks you can expect an average (averaging male and female) of 6½ pounds live weight.

Harvest the Jumbo Cornish Cross broiler between 4 and 10 weeks of age, depending on desired weight. Cornish broiler chickens beyond this age will have health issues of the heart, bones, muscles, and tendons plus sores from sitting all the time.

These chickens grow so fast that their legs eventually give out from their weight. That plus fluid accumulating in the body cavity (Ascites) may make it necessary to restrict their feed intake to slow down the growth rate.

You can slow their growth rate by restricting feed intake. Remove their feed at night to give the bones and tendons time to catch up with the rapid muscle growth. However, when restricting feed, do not use small particle bedding (such as sawdust or small shavings). The birds will eat the bedding material, which can cause sickness and death.

Note: The Cornish broiler may not do well if your elevation is 5,000 feet or more. They will be more prone to heart attacks and health issues at high altitudes. Please take this into consideration before ordering them.

For more information check out our blog “Why Raise Cornish Cross Chickens.” We also recommend you request this book with your order: Raising Cornish-Cross Chickens for Meat.

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