New in Tn

[Bank Walker]

I have been reading lots of posts here about Cornish cross, toads, buffs, Jersey Giants and other meat breed chickens. We raise sexlinks and a few odd chickens but have never raised meat birds. This spring we have about 30 or so roosters we are planning to process this fall and we are thinking about raising more for our freezer. I would prefer to have our own instead of buying new chicks each year.

 

[chickenweirdo1]

Great to have another poultry lover!

 

[drumstick diva]

Sorry I don't know much about meat birds but you can put "meat birds," in the search box above and some articles should come up.

 

[N F C]

Good luck with raising your own meat birds!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, Bank Walker, and

! Pleased you joined us! As you are probably aware, the Cornish Cross is the industry standard meat bird - it is what you get at restaurants and the grocery store. It is so because of it's amazing growth rate - birth to butcher in about 6-7 weeks. This makes it economical. The downside - they are a generally unhealthy bird, bred as they are one thing - growth. They often have health problems as their legs do not develop the strength to support their hulking bodies. Lots of folks are opting for some of the breeds you mentioned as well as rangers for their meat birds. I personally feel the alternate breeds have a better, more "chickeny" flavor. Downside to those breeds is that it takes them longer to mature. Love raising my own meat birds - processing has become a breeze. Hope your project turns out well. Best wishes!

 

[Bank Walker]

Yes, we have 75 sexlinks and about 12 big breed mix roosters and 20 buff orpington chicks that I think will be more roosters for the freezer. We have a big family and want to get into raising our own instead of buying the Cornish x chicks. We had a few from a hatchery surprise years ago that died way before they should have from Summer heat or heart issues. The buffs are getting big but not growing as fast as I had wanted. I read up on the Ranger chickens but kinda think they are close to the free range/pasture chickens we raise now. Every few years we get 25 sexlinks from the kids 4-H projects. We incubate another 50-100 chicks. Sell or trade down to 75 hens and 6 roosters each fall. Now we want to get into meat birds. I know sexlinks are supposed to be meat/egg chickens but the hens are small and not really what we have in mind for processing. There are too many to choose from and I know I do not want to try and reinvent the wheel by trying to mix Cornish cross chickens with something else to get a Frankenstein chicken all my own. Open to any and all ideas. I have been reading posts here for months and honestly I am more undecided than before. As quickly as I choose a bird to try, something else seems to be a better fit to our needs. We would like to raise 300-400 each year for the freezer. In 2 or 3 different cycles. Should be easy, yea easy. Hahaha.

 

[Bank Walker]

 

[Teila]

G’Day from down under Bank Walker

Welcome!

I hope you enjoy being a BYC member. There are lots of friendly and very helpful folks here so not only is it overflowing with useful information it is also a great place to make friends and have some fun.

 

[bathound]

Hello from Anderson County, Tennessee. I wish you well in your endeavor.