Cornish Cross at a glance
Eggs / year
Not raised for eggs
Egg color
tinted
Egg size
medium
Adult weight
6–10 lbs (slaughtered at 6–8 weeks)
Temperament
Lethargic — bred to eat and grow
Beginner-friendly
★★★☆☆
Cold tolerance
❄️ Fair
Heat tolerance
☀️ Poor
Broodiness
rarely
Noise level
quiet
Flight risk
low
Best for
meat
✓ Pros
- •Incredible feed-to-meat conversion
- •Ready to butcher in 6–8 weeks
- •Tender, mild meat
- •Easy to process at home
⚠ Watch out for
- •Not a long-lived breed — must be butchered
- •Heat-sensitive after week 4
- •Almost cannot free-range (legs give out)
- •Heart attacks common after 8 weeks
Appearance
Mostly white, broad-breasted, short legs, often barely able to walk past 6 weeks
Coop & care notes
Raised for meat, not laying. Use a chicken tractor (movable pen). Restrict feed at night to slow growth and reduce heart strain.
Coop calculator (pre-set for Cornish Cross)
Adjust flock count and climate — sizing math below uses heavy-class defaults for Cornish Cross birds.
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Housing method
Tap to compare — 3D preview updates live✓ Why people choose this
- •Most space-efficient per bird
- •Easy to clean (you walk in)
- •Strongest predator protection
- •Works in any climate
⚠ Tradeoffs
- •Run gets stripped of grass quickly
- •Birds don't access fresh forage
- •Largest construction project
- •Permanent — hard to relocate
Best for: Anyone with a fixed flock location and 50+ sqft to spare
Live 3D preview
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Showing: Walk-in coop with run · Rectangle dimensions are suggestions — total sqft is what matters.
Your coop & run requirements
🏠Coop interior
24sqft
~4′ × 6′
🌿Run / outdoor
60sqft
~6′ × 10′
🥚Nesting boxes
2boxes
1 per 3–4 hens
🪵Roost length
5ft
60″ total
💨Ventilation
3sqft
above roost height
🌾Feed needed
39lbs/mo
layer feed
💧Water capacity
0.8gal/day
more in summer
For 6 standard birds:
- Always use 1/2″ hardware cloth, never chicken wire, on all openings.
Recommended supplies for your flock
Sized to your inputs above. Links open Amazon in a new tab.
Coop
PawHut 137″ Split-Level Coop (8–10 birds)
Sized for your 6-bird flock at 24 sqft. Most-reviewed mid-tier coop on Amazon — split-level with attached run.
View on Amazon → Run
1/2″ Hardware Cloth (50+ ft rolls)
You need ~39 linear ft. Predator-proof — chicken wire will not stop a raccoon. Compare current 50-ft rolls.
View on Amazon → Nesting
Best Nest Box — Reversible Rollout (Medium)
You need 2 boxes. The "gold standard" rollout — eggs roll out clean onto a pad, no pecking, no broken eggs.
View on Amazon → Roosting
Heavy-duty roost-bar brackets (use with 2×4 lumber)
6 birds need ~5 ft of roost. A flat 2×4 wide-side-up keeps feet warm in winter; brackets mount it; lumber is cheap locally.
View on Amazon → Feeding
Grandpa's Standard Treadle Feeder (20 lb)
Your flock eats ~39 lbs/mo. Grandpa's is the original NZ-made treadle — 20+ years on the market, the only one BYC moderators endorse.
View on Amazon → Watering
RentACoop 2-Gallon Horizontal Nipple Waterer (4-port)
~0.8 gal/day. Horizontal nipples don't drip, work in cold weather, and the dribble dishes prevent waste.
View on Amazon → Convenience
Run-Chicken T50 Automatic Coop Door
Ranked #1 in 2026 head-to-head tests — easiest install (under 20 min), AA batteries last 1+ year, anti-pinch motor.
View on Amazon → Bedding
Large-flake kiln-dried pine shavings
For 24 sqft of coop floor. Tractor Supply's Producer's Pride bale is the cheapest option locally — Amazon's premium brands work too.
View on Amazon → Health
Harris Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade (10.5 lb + duster)
OMRI-certified, includes a duster applicator. Use in dust baths and sprinkle in nesting boxes for mite/lice control.
View on Amazon → Security
Spring-bolt latch + locking carabiner combo
Raccoons defeat any one-handed latch. The standard recipe is a spring bolt + secondary locking carabiner — two motions, two hands.
View on Amazon → Security
316 Stainless Locking Carabiners (pair with bolt above)
Marine-grade stainless. Use as the secondary lock on every coop and run access point.
View on Amazon → As an Amazon Associate this site earns from qualifying purchases. Recommendations are sized to your flock and based on standard backyard chicken-keeping practices.
