Cornish chicken

Cornish chicken (also known as Indian Game) is a meat chicken breed from the county of Cornwall in the United Kingdom


Cornish chickens and the crosses of this breed are most popular and widely used breed in the chicken meat industry. Most of the modern broiler chicken breeds were developed from Cornish chicken breed. This breed is known variously by Indian or Cornish Game depending on country. Cornish chicken breed was developed by Sir Walter Gibert around 1820s. And in 1893 it was accepted by the APA (American Poultry Association). In America (until 1905 when the American Poultry Association passed a motion to rename the breed to Cornish Indian Game) Cornish chicken breed was originally always known as Indian Game. This poultry breed was renamed to simply the Cornish in 1910 due to the unpopularity of the use of Game in the name and also due to the confusion this name caused by implying the breed came from India. In some other countries like Australia this breed is still known solely as Indian Game

CHARACTERISTICS

• Cornish chickens are heavy and muscular birds that lay brown eggs. 
• There are two varies of Cornish chicken. 
• The Cornish Game and the Jubilee Cornish Game. 
• The Jubliee Cornish Game chickens are less stocky and much lighter than their counterparts. 
• And the Cornish Game is dark blue – green in color with brown patterning in the hens. 
• The Jubliee Cornish Games are usually light wheaten in color, with light brown patterning. 
• Cornish chicken is also quite popular show bird and it comes in many colors. 
• Due to widely spaced hips this chicken breed has a tendency for bad legs.
• It also becomes an excellent backyard meat bird when crossed with a Dorking or a Sussex chicken. 
• Cornish chickens are not good layers. 
• On an average, they produce 160-180 eggs per year. 
• Cornish chickens are aggressive in nature, but relatively easy to handle and the hens are good mothers. 
• They need more space compared to any other breeds. 
• So, Cornish chickens may not be suitable for the suburban poultry keepers. 
• They have pea comb and their feathers tend to be thinner. 
• They can tolerate all climates but can’t do well in excessive cold. 
• On an average, a Cornish cock weights about 3.86 kg, a hen about 2.57 kg.