• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chicken & Chicks Info
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Blog
  • Find a Hatchery Near You
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Blog
  • Peafowl
  • Egg Farms
  • Hatcheries
  • Avian Vets
  • Guinea Fowl
search icon
Homepage link
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Blog
  • Peafowl
  • Egg Farms
  • Hatcheries
  • Avian Vets
  • Guinea Fowl
×

Cornish Chicken Breed Info + Where to Buy

Modified: Feb 28, 2023 by Phil · This post may contain affiliate links ·

The Cornish chicken is a dual-purpose breed hailing from Cornwall, England. They will lay about 160 eggs per year, which puts them on the lower end of the productivity spectrum. They are better known as meat birds due to their large size and broad frame.

A beautiful Cornish Chicken looking for food in green grass.
Image by Mary Pahlke from Pixabay

They grow and mature more slowly than other production breeds, but they make up for their slow growth with a large, meaty carcass.

Jump to:
  • How to Buy Online Cornish Chickens
  • Cornish Chicken Breed Quick Info
  • Origins of the Cornish Chicken
  • Some Things to Know About the Cornish Chicken
  • How Easy is it to Keep Cornish Chickens?
  • Special Care and Considerations for Cornish Chickens

How to Buy Online Cornish Chickens

Cackle hatchery
The Best Hatchery to order from: Read reviews here.

Cornish Bantam Chicks As low as: $3.25 - Read reviews

Dark Cornish Chicks As low as: $1.85 - Read reviews

Cornish Chicken Breed Quick Info

Cornish Chicken Description

Cornish Type/Size:Standard
Feather Color:Green, brown, and blue
Leg Type:Clean
Leg Color:Yellow
Skin Color:Yellow
Cornish Ease of Raising/Keeping:Hard
Cornish Special Care Needs:Yes
Is the Cornish breed a common, rare, or protected breed of chicken?Rare, “threatened” status

Cornish Use

MeatYes
EggsYes
Dual PurposeYes
Cornish Temperament:Aggressive
Cornish Ability/Likelihood to Free Range:Yes

Cornish Egg Production

Egg ColorBrown
Egg SizeMedium
Estimated Number of Eggs Per Year160
Likeliness to Brood Eggs/Raise ChicksHigh

Cornish Meat Production

Dressed Weight Male7 lbs.
Dressed Weight Female 5 ½ lbs.

Cornish Climate Tolerance

HeatGood
ColdModerate

Cornish Age to Maturity

Number of Months to Reach Full Size5 Months
Number of Months to Start Egg Laying5 Months
Number of Weeks/Months to Reach Meat Harvest Size18 Weeks

Cornish Size at Maturity

Male10 lbs.
Female8 lbs.

Origins of the Cornish Chicken

A curious Cornish Chicken standing on fallen leaves.
Image by Mary Pahlke from Pixabay

The Cornish chicken originated in England over 200 years ago, in 1820. It was originally called the Indian Game chicken. Sir Walter Gilbert crossed the Red Aseel with the Black Breasted Red Game of the time in an attempt to create a superior fighting bird.

See also  How to Feed Chickens Without Buying Feed (Budget Options)

The breed was accepted by the American Poultry Association in 1893, and the name was soon changed to the Cornish. Soon after, other varieties were recognized, including white, white-laced red, and buff.

Some Things to Know About the Cornish Chicken

A Cornish Chicken flock in a backyard.
Image source: Chicken Scratch

The Cornish chicken is characterized by an unusually compact body. They have a wide back and a broad, deep chest. This makes them great meat birds, as they are almost always heavier than they look.

They have tight-fitting feathers that are a combination of dark brown and iridescent green. Their large size and stocky, sleek build are reminiscent of their original purpose as game birds.

How Easy is it to Keep Cornish Chickens?

A beautiful Cornish Chicken in a fallen-leaves-covered backyard.
Image source: Roy's Farm

Cornish chicken is not a good breed for first-time chicken owners. These birds tend to be on the aggressive side and are often at the top of the pecking order within a flock. This is especially true if you have a rooster within your coop.

Cornish hens tend to go broody more often than you might expect for a meat bird. However, if you plan to let your hens raise their own chicks, be aware that their hatching rate is lower than other breeds. This is due to their tight-knit feathers, which don’t provide a very comfy environment for their eggs. Their short legs and heavy bodies also cause them to break eggs more often than other breeds.

Special Care and Considerations for Cornish Chickens

The Cornish chicken’s unique tight feathering prevents them from thriving in low temperatures. When cold weather hits, be sure to provide plenty of shelter and heat to help your Cornish hens keep warm.

See also  Thüringian Chicken Breed Info

Another thing to consider if you want to free-range your Cornish chickens is protection from predators. Because of their weight, lack of ability to fly, and short legs, they move slowly and are often not able to escape from predators.

Cornish Chicken Breed Info pinterest image.

More Breeds

  • Scots Grey Chicken Breed Info
  • Scots Dumpy Chicken Breed Info
  • Old English Pheasant Fowl Chicken Breed Info
  • Muffed Old English Game Chicken Breed Info

Primary Sidebar

Looking for Chicks For Sale?

Or, check out our extensive list of the best hatcheries by state here!

Recent Posts

  • Scots Grey Chicken Breed Info
  • Scots Dumpy Chicken Breed Info
  • Old English Pheasant Fowl Chicken Breed Info
  • Muffed Old English Game Chicken Breed Info
  • Modern Langshan Chicken Breed Info

Categories

  • Blog
  • Breeds
  • Chickens
  • Chicks
  • Eggs
  • Find a Hatchery Near You
  • Find an Avian Vet Near You
  • Find an Egg Farm Near You
  • Guinea Fowl
  • Peafowl

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 Chicken and Chicks Info LLC.