Newchickmom2023
Chirping
- Aug 1, 2023
- 20
- 52
- 51
Hi all! I currently have 5 pullets (4 Buff Orps, 1 RIR) and 1 (oops) Buff Orp rooster. No eggs yet (about 16 wks)....already looking to next year, and whether I want to add more for meat. My feed supplier (a local farmer who ground us some good organic feed) is not real thrilled with cornish cross because they have been bred for such hyper growth ....and friends who currently raise them talk about their feeding habits, and they do sound pretty gross. I was looking at some of the Rangers and other broiler specific birds....or do I see if I end up with a broody hen, let her hatch some of my dual purpose chickens, and try to continue my own stock, eventually butchering some. The idea of "sustainable reproduction" in my current little flock is appealing, however Orps are pretty slow growing, didn't know if I needed to look at some compromise, or get a separate breed to use specifically for meat only. I'd heard some good things about a New Hampshire/Delaware cross being a good meat choice, but the only ones I found commercially were discontinued. We all like white meat best, but the most important thing is that we become more self-sufficient. If you're hungry enough, you can eat lots of stuff that is not your first choice LOL. Just 3 of us here, so I don't need HUGE birds, but extra meat can always make another meal, and carcasses go for broth. We are in SW WI (near the MN twin cities), so our winters can be pretty brutal, if that's an issue for any particular breed. I am currently not fully free-ranging. Birds are in a tractor, and go in at night. We will eventually have a couple runs, so if we do meat birds, I can keep them separate, or even in the tractor (if I can convince my husband to build a second LOL). We have 3 acres, so I'm not against free ranging, just know predators may be more of an issue (I've seen chicken hawks in daytime), and neighbors say we have coyotes, as well as raccoons, - probably others as well. I'm going to try to be a "sponge" and just soak up everything I can in the next few months. Thanks for your input/suggestions