Breeding meat birds question!

[smoore7489]

So this year will be the first year I'm wanting to raise birds for their meat. Im not a fan of Cornish X so I've been looking into other types and what they're bred with. I currently have Orpingtons and Wyandotte. The roos i have are mixed breed with the top roo being HUGE and a cross between barred rock, orp, and Rhode Island red. Other roo is his offspring from a orp mom. The other two are just mixed Easter Eggers... but have to say they are bigger than most Easter Eggers I've seen (idk the mix, just that the mom was EE)
With these breeds in mind, if I hatched this barnyard mix, do you think I'll be able to produce decent looking meat birds? I'm hoping to sell so the "looks" will mean a bunch.
I was hoping to shave some pennies and hatch instead of buying mainly chicks.
I can post pictures if that will help more. And can keep up to date if there's much interest in this. (Still will probably hatch 25ish chicks as an experiment but I was wanting to know some expert opinions on what to expect)

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

It doesn't really matter the looks of the bird. If they are meat bird they just need to dress out respectively. Just because a bird is huge doesn't mean he is a good meat bird. I had a giant back legshan rooster.. awful meat bird.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So this year will be the first year I'm wanting to raise birds for their meat. Im not a fan of Cornish X so I've been looking into other types and what they're bred with. I currently have Orpingtons and Wyandotte. The roos i have are mixed breed with the top roo being HUGE and a cross between barred rock, orp, and Rhode Island red. Other roo is his offspring from a orp mom. The other two are just mixed Easter Eggers... but have to say they are bigger than most Easter Eggers I've seen (idk the mix, just that the mom was EE)
With these breeds in mind, if I hatched this barnyard mix, do you think I'll be able to produce decent looking meat birds? I'm hoping to sell so the "looks" will mean a bunch.
I was hoping to shave some pennies and hatch instead of buying mainly chicks.
I can post pictures if that will help more. And can keep up to date if there's much interest in this. (Still will probably hatch 25ish chicks as an experiment but I was wanting to know some expert opinions on what to expect)

NO.
See my culling project.

EE are mixes. Mixes of mixes are the genetic blender. Entirely unpredictable results ensue. My experience with Wyans has not produced large birds, while Orps (I understand, have not owned) are a lot of feather though they do get quite big.

Setting that aside, nothing is as feed efficient, or get so large so quickly as a CX. They dominate the industry because nothing other than another line of CX can compete with them. Other birds, eventually, may get as big as an 8 week CX - but the longer time period adds cost, adds risk, adds flavor, and greatly detracts from tenderness.

Also, you say "huge". WHAT DO THEY WEIGH? I have a huge Roo, "Ugly" who is a one year old barnyard mix with Brahma (themselves not small birds) and a large Roo, "RUG" (Rooster of Unknown Genetics). I weighed him yesterday. 6.3# Yet he visually is much larger than heavier birds. They eyes decieve - its the feathering.

Do run your 25 bird experiment, and capture the info on a thread for us here - it would benefit the community.

/edit and for what its worth, I've had a few CX, never again. I know what I'm giving up, and I'm ok with that.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

NO.
See my culling project.

EE are mixes. Mixes of mixes are the genetic blender. Entirely unpredictable results ensue. My experience with Wyans has not produced large birds, while Orps (I understand, have not owned) are a lot of feather though they do get quite big.

Setting that aside, nothing is as feed efficient, or get so large so quickly as a CX. They dominate the industry because nothing other than another line of CX can compete with them. Other birds, eventually, may get as big as an 8 week CX - but the longer time period adds cost, adds risk, adds flavor, and greatly detracts from tenderness.

Also, you say "huge". WHAT DO THEY WEIGH? I have a huge Roo, "Ugly" who is a one year old barnyard mix with Brahma (themselves not small birds) and a large Roo, "RUG" (Rooster of Unknown Genetics). I weighed him yesterday. 6.3# Yet he visually is much larger than heavier birds. They eyes decieve - its the feathering.

Do run your 25 bird experiment, and capture the info on a thread for us here - it would benefit the community.

/edit and for what its worth, I've had a few CX, never again. I know what I'm giving up, and I'm ok with that.

What I was getting at ^

 

[3KillerBs]

I hatched this barnyard mix, do you think I'll be able to produce decent looking meat birds? I'm hoping to sell so the "looks" will mean a bunch.

In a word, no.

There might be a niche market for pasture-raised "ranger" type meat birds in your area or there might not. There is only very rarely a TINY niche market for dual-purpose cockerels raised for meat in certain ethnic enclaves where they have to have a more mature bird for traditional specialty dishes.

The general market, even those who want a locally-produced bird, isn't going to want a skinny, undersized dual-purpose cockerel who cooks up tough because he's older than the usual 5-8 weeks of the grocery store Cornish X.

 

[3KillerBs]

See how skinny my 22-week cull Australorp cockerel was?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

See how skinny my 22-week cull Australorp cockerel was?

I think I have that crockpot, actually.

That's a very reasonable amount of fat around the heart, good color to the fat at the edge of the keel and along the inside of the thigh. Smooth, glossy, consistent liver color. I'd be proud to serve that bird up as one of mine. Looks quite healthy, apart from the fact that its headless and disrobed.

 

[3KillerBs]

I think I have that crockpot, actually.

That's a very reasonable amount of fat around the heart, good color to the fat at the edge of the keel and along the inside of the thigh. Smooth, glossy, consistent liver color. I'd be proud to serve that bird up as one of mine. Looks quite healthy, apart from the fact that its headless and disrobed.

Oh yes, nothing wrong with Yellow in terms of health and vigor.

He was just very bad type for an Australorp and didn't sell as a lawn ornament.

 

[3KillerBs]

And, of course, he didn't come anything close to the fullness of a Cornish X.

i want to try raising both Cornish X and rangers to see if one or the other suits my management better.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

And, of course, he didn't come anything close to the fullness of a Cornish X.

i want to try raising both Cornish X and rangers to see if one or the other suits my management better.

I continue to have curiosity and a bit of interest in color rangers. I'll admit it.