Cornish hen


Cornish hen

or

Cornish chicken,

breed of poultrypoultry,
domesticated fowl kept primarily for meat and eggs; including birds of the order Galliformes, e.g., the chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, pheasant, quail, and peacock; and natatorial (swimming) birds, e.g., the duck and goose.
..... Click the link for more information.
 that originated in Cornwall, England, but gained prominence only after it was established in the United States. Its body shape is quite different from that of other chickens. Both males and females have short legs and broad muscular breasts. Although relatively slow-growing, the Cornish hen has excellent meat qualities and is used extensively in breeding programs today. Its cross with the fast-growing Plymouth Rock chickenPlymouth Rock chicken,
one of the most popular early breeds of poultry. The Barred Plymouth Rock was a favorite farm chicken since it was both a good egg producer and also developed a large quantity of meat. As the demand for white eggs increased, the breed lost popularity.
..... Click the link for more information.
 is responsible for most of the broiler and frier types currently on the market. An increasingly popular form of Cornish poultry, marketed for its delicious meat, is the Rock Cornish game hen. This is actually a standard meat-type chicken packaged at a smaller size.