Meat birds, barrred rock and Americana

Shannon bo said:

What about strictly rhode island red as meat?

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Egghead_Jr said:

You could. Keep in mind the Rhode Islands Red and New Hampshire from hatcheries are Production Reds. They have been bred for amazing egg production and are not to weight of birds from breeders. It's a trade off. If you want a breed that is true to the sense of dual purpose in that you can cull for butcher your young cockerels and grow out a few for breeder selection and roast the others and keep all pullets for layers that will give you over 200 eggs first laying year then I'd get New Hampshire from a breeder. This is a great true dual purpose bird. New Hampshire especially will mature faster, gain weight young so culling out a bunch of cockerels at grilling age (12-14 weeks) will still give you near if not at 4 lbs dressed weight. Other standard bred birds will give you near 3.5 lbs dressed weight at same age if you choose wisely. Delaware is one and Possibly White Plymouth Rock.

I actually started this exact research today as I'm bored and the question of heritage meat birds comes up a lot so figured I'd look into it. So far the evidence to pointing to New Hampshire as the prime dual purpose. This is not Hatchery stock but from reputable breeders. As for which lines will best represent with meat high in high regard, early big butcher weight, the verdict is still out.

A pure German New Hampshire line I found here but still awaiting her email reply with any details:

Eight Acres Farm-

Another source for New Hampshire I have high regard for is Matt1616 here on BYC. He crossed the American New Hampshire to German and says he's now getting consistent offspring so has set the line. Have mailing to him also and awaiting some details. If he says something about his birds (I asked regarding weight and age) it's not going to be hogwash. 

And there are more sources. Frank Reese New Hampshire are the main source of american New Hampshire. His is an old not outsourced flock. The color of Germans is stunning and believe performance of Reese is good and why you'll be hard pressed to find distinct lines anymore. About everyone has crossed them.

The Delaware was also a prime suspect but so far evidence is showing it's not been kept to faster maturing that the original bird was. But with effort a line may yet be found. Still looking. In general this breed will give cockerels dressed at 3.5 lbs in 12 weeks but the better 4lbs weights in that time in days of old has not been proved yet in recent stock. 

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Shannon bo said:

Apparently I have that exact rooster too. Was told it was Americana but it looks just like your picture

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Egghead_Jr said:

Maybe your not seeing the size in photo that I see. Just compare your photo of your production red cockerel to the photo I posted of Eight Acres Farm cock bird. There is no comparison of body type. The standard bred bird will have a wider body cavity that runs the entire length of body. Your red cockerel has the typical layer body type that pinches in at tail and is very small compared to Rhode Island from a breeder. Americana or what ever they are calling them if from a hatchery is an Easter Egger. They are mixed breed which doesn't matter but also are bred for egg production. The feather coloration of EE's can be just about anything. Don't get caught up in feather, look at the body and how the birds I'm talking about have a body structure designed to carry more meat and be a bigger bird. With this body type you sacrifice the larger egg production from layer type bodies. Dual purpose birds lay 200 eggs per year apposed to the 300 egg per year from a layer. 

Again, you can eat any bird. Your query was if any of your birds or cross there of would make a good "meat" bird. The answer is no. They are all layer birds and of hatchery stock hence no matter breed name they are actual layers not dual purpose in body design. I was merely pointing you in a direction of real dual purpose birds which can not be obtained from hatcheries. From my current research the best dual purpose in today's stock of birds is the New Hampshire from a breeder. 

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