How to Evaluate the Cornish Rock X

The Cornish Rock X is a heavy breed chicken raised for meat production. It is a cross between a White Cornish cock and a White Rock hen. These white-feathered, large-breasted birds are desired by the market for their "clean" appearance when dressed and for customer interest. Purchase true Cornish and Rock crosses, not modern production lines using that name. Leg issues, sudden death, breast blistering and extreme weight can cause suffering for the bird and lack of quality stock for the breeder if such lines are used. Only buy lines that are not prone to these genetic health issues as these will present in the flock with detrimental consequences necessitating the culling of the entire flock.

Things You'll Need

  • Breed handbook
  • Internet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Choose stock from breeders that are not raising genetically unhealthy lines. Note that good stock should be able to walk and perch naturally. Look for docile but alert birds that do not appear "unnaturally" large breasted or ungainly. Watch that the adult birds on the premises are bright, able to move freely and breed without human assistance. Ask that the lines are truly crosses between the Cornish and the Rock.

    • 2

      Look for tight, white feathering, large but not unreasonably large breasts, muscular thighs, good bone thickness of the leg (very thick legs that appear swollen are diseased), and clean feathers unstained by manure (pasting of manure or from long periods of sitting). Look for white or yellow skin color. Watch the birds move and look for any difficulty walking as this is a sign of poor-quality birds. Note if many birds are sitting down as this is another sign of poor breeding. Know that true Cornish Rock birds should appear and act as "normal" chickens (scratching, communicating, foraging, perching, preening and breeding unaided).

    • 3

      Note that this breed is fast-maturing (grows nearly twice the rate of other breeds) reaching table weight before seven weeks. Ask if the stock has a good feed to maturation ratio, but beware of genetically altered lines that sacrifice health. Choose lines that, if not slaughtered, will reach adulthood, will be hardy and disease-resistant and will be able to exhibit normal chicken behavior and movement.