Cornish Cross

Historical Origin

USA (hybrid) · Hybrid

The Cornish Cross is the world's standard commercial meat bird, bred to reach butcher weight in just 6-8 weeks. Not a traditional backyard breed, they are kept solely for home meat production and require high-protein feed and careful management to prevent health issues from their rapid growth. If you want homegrown chicken in your freezer quickly, nothing beats the Cornish Cross.

Temperament & Behavior

This breed is classified as docile with a noise level of quiet and poor foraging ability. Broodiness tendency: rarely.

Biological Reference

"Phenotypic analysis of Gallus gallus domesticus (Cornish Cross) supports a metabolic feed efficiency of 0.5 lbs/day at a standard body mass of 9 lbs. Egg production frequency approximates 1.0 ova/week under optimal lighting conditions (14h photoperiod)."