What is a Cornish Game Hen?
The Cornish game hen, though it may sound a fancy name, merely refers to young chickens, that are usually fed a significant amount of food and slaughtered when they are about five weeks old. They are not force-fed, as is the case with ducks and geese used to produce foie gras, but are fed quite frequently, and in great volume in order to produce about a two-pound (.91 kg) chicken. They’re most often sold whole and unboned, and make an ideal chicken dinner for one person. The name Cornish game hen is a specific reference to the fact that the chickens are of the Cornish breed. Initially the name Guinea hen was used to refer to these small poultry servings but Cornish game hen has become more popular as the result of Connecticut farmers Jacques and Alphonsine Markowsky’s breeding practices in the 1950s. They bred the Cornish hen with the rock hen, resulting in a chicken that is mostly white meat, something many people prefer. You may see the name Rock Cornish game hen to express the breed
