Breed · Chicken breed
Cornish
Gallus gallus domesticus
Also known as: Indian Game, Cornish Game
The Cornish, known in Britain as the Indian Game, is a heavily muscled English meat breed prized for its broad breast and compact build, and it is a principal ancestor of modern commercial broiler chickens.
Record
Livestock breed- Breed of
- Chickens
- Species
- Chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus)
- Type
- Meat
- Origin
- England (Cornwall), United Kingdom
- Recognition
- Registered
- Conservation status
- Not establishedReported per source and date (e.g. FAO DAD-IS); not a fixed property of the breed.
- Registries
- FAO DAD-IS · Global · as of 2026-07-12Chicken breed recorded in the global domestic animal diversity inventory (as Cornish / Indian Game).
- American Poultry Association (Standard of Perfection) · United StatesRecognised as the Cornish; known as Indian Game under British standards.
- Adaptation
- The short, hard feathering offers little insulation, so the breed favours warm to temperate conditions and needs protection from severe cold.
- Primary uses
- Meat production (purebred and as a crossbreeding sire), Foundation genetics for commercial broiler crosses, Exhibition
Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.
The Cornish, called the Indian Game in the United Kingdom, is a meat-type chicken breed developed in Cornwall, England, in the 19th century from game and Asian bloodlines. It is defined by exceptional muscling, a wide, deep breast, and a hard, close-fitting feather.
Although a poor layer and slow to mature as a purebred, the Cornish is of enormous commercial significance: crosses of Cornish (or Cornish-derived) males with Plymouth Rock-type females form the genetic basis of most modern broiler chickens raised for meat worldwide.
Origin and history
Bred in Cornwall from crosses involving Old English Game and Asian game fowl such as Aseel and Malay, the breed was standardised in the late 1800s as the Indian Game and exported to North America as the Cornish. In the 20th century its heavy musculature made it the sire line of choice for meat crosses, and Cornish genetics underpin the global broiler industry.
Appearance and characteristics
- A thick-set, muscular body carried on wide-set, sturdy legs, with a broad and prominent breast.
- Short, hard, close feathering that gives a lean, "gamey" outline, and a small pea comb.
- Recognised colours include Dark (the classic laced form), White, and White-laced Red.
- An assertive game temperament; birds are often kept in smaller groups.
Use and management
As a purebred the Cornish is kept for meat and exhibition; it lays relatively few eggs and matures slowly compared with commercial hybrids. Its greatest role is genetic: as a terminal sire crossed with dual-purpose hens to produce fast-growing, meaty offspring. The wide stance and heavy build call for good footing and management to support leg health.
Relationships
Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.
Scope & limitations
Geographic scope: Global breed overview; standards, names (Cornish / Indian Game), and populations vary by country and registry.
Climate context: Better suited to warm and temperate climates given its sparse, hard feathering; cold protection is needed in winter.
- This is a general breed profile, not strain-specific performance data or husbandry guidance.
- The purebred Cornish differs substantially from the commercial Cornish Cross broiler hybrid; this record describes the purebred.
- Conservation risk status is not asserted here because it varies by country and population.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Cited for: Breed recording and global diversity status
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- Moderate
Cited for: Breed origin, history, and general characteristics
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12