Cornish game hen facts for kids
A Cornish game hen is a special type of small chicken. It's known by this name in the United States because the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) officially approved it. These chickens are a mix of two different chicken breeds: the Indian Game chicken and the White Plymouth Rock chicken.
Cornish game hens are harvested when they are very young, usually between four to six weeks old. At this age, they are small, weighing no more than about 2 pounds (900 grams) when they are ready to be cooked. Even though they are called "game hens," they are not wild birds. They are farm-raised chickens and can be either male or female. They are specially bred to grow a lot of breast meat quickly.
How They Started
The idea for the Cornish game hen came about in the mid-1950s. A couple named Alphonsine "Therese" and Jacques Makowsky, who lived in Connecticut, are credited with creating this unique bird.
They experimented by mixing different types of chickens. They used male Cornish game chickens and crossed them with other breeds, including the White Plymouth Rock hen. They even used a type of chicken from the Malay Peninsula known for fighting. Their goal was to create a small, tasty chicken that would be just right for one person to eat.
A famous musician and comedian named Victor Borge helped make the Cornish game hen popular. He invested in the idea and used his fame to promote it. Thanks to his help, this special chicken went from being an unusual dish to something many families enjoyed at home.
