best meat birds

[TDM]

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White Leghorns as a dual purpose breed? The White Leghorn is considered a production layer.

 

[riane'smimi]

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Thanks for the tips.I was thinking about the New Hamps and the White Rocks.Thanks for confirming it for me.I will check out your thread on raising the CX also

Thanks

 

[riane'smimi]

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[All About Chicken]

I used some of my older Leghorns not bad tasting in soup but not much meat. I also had 4 Black Australop Roosters that were 8 months old very tuff meats made a great broth. After the first one being so tuff we process and put in a Mason jar now that was very good and tender. I just bought Corness cross and they were very good I do let them free range the last month… funny the little footballs! I have heard that feeding some slower growing chic adding 6% Fish Meal with there feed will get them ready for butchering 25% to even 50% and improve the taste and tenderness. I have not tried this however I will this summer.

 

[peterlund]

If you really want just meat birds, then go with the Cornish X. Dirty, smelly critters, but they are ready to put in the freezer in 6-8 weeks, and they are more likely going to be what you already know chicken to taste like..... Good luck!

 

[riane'smimi]

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I think the fish meal is a very good idea.They have taken the animal protein out of most of the feeds and I think it affects the chickens both in egg laying and over all growth. I did find a feed called rocking rooster and it still has animal protein.
Thanks

I think I am going to get some of the CX .

 

[jessicayarno]

I really suggest using Australorp, Barred Rock, White Rocks as your layers and buy seperate birds for meat.. Red Broilers, Freedom Rangers( some people hold back a few of these for breeding), Kosher Kings are heartier than the Cornish Cross and honestly the cornish x are a little harder to raise, but you don't have to take care of them as long either, and from what i have heard unless you let them free range the cost is about the same... I raised the red broilers last time and I wish that I would have kept track of the cost, but from what I can remember they were quite spendy... You are going to get different advice from different people.. It is going to be a trial and error thing.. I do have to say that the Red Broilers do taste better than what you can buy in the store, much more flavor, but i also think it was the quality of feed.. Good Luck...

 

[Oregon Blues]

Best meat bird, not even any competition, is the Pekin Duck. Next in line is the Appleyard Duck, and a close third is the Cornish Cross chicken.

All three: fast growth, good feed conversion, delicious meat. The ducks have better personalities, no health issues, and are reproducible, that's why they get the top spots on the list.

The Cornish Cross produces a lot of white meat in a very short time with an excellent feed conversion ratio. Home raised Cornish Cross do not taste like supermarket chickens if you let them get some exercise, sunshine, and a bit of grazing and bug eating. They don't have health issues, either, if they get some exercise, fresh air and some grazing.

 

[All About Chicken]

I have some Pikens and got them for a renewable food source! Built a pond on the hill feed by a great spring. But coyotes got my females as they are easy targets nesting. Males seem to do well so far. will get some females early this year and process one of the males. Your right very gentle birds.

 

[TrinityFarms]

Just a note about the barred rocks that you bought originally. The source of any dual-purpose bird is really important if you'll be raising them for meat. They of course will never match a true meat bird such as a cornish x or freedom ranger, etc., but you will get a better dual-purpose meat bird if you buy from a breeder as opposed to a hatchery. The trend in hatcheries is to breed dual-purpose birds as good layers, somewhat to the detriment of the meat production side.
I've read that dorkings are considered the best tasting chicken according to a few different surveys.