Starting my own meat birds dark cornish and cross with white rock

[Neil Grassbaugh]

Quote:
Russ- you will find that is very little, if any follow-up, on these half baked ideas about creating useful meat chickens with one cross between recognnized breeds. The internet obtained genetics knowlewdge and brilliant revelations generating therefrom seems not to be catching up with nearly 70 years of developement funded by an industry that counts for trillions of dollars.
These home brewed genetics will not produce anything close to the FCR, rate of gain, conformation or disease resistance of commercial meat chickens.
Some are happy with the results they achieve but it is a little like a campfire burned hotdog dropped in the dirt tasting better than any other you ever ate - if you cooked it yourself.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Russ- you will find that is very little, if any follow-up, on these half baked ideas about creating useful meat chickens with one cross between recognnized breeds. The internet obtained genetics knowlewdge and brilliant revelations generating therefrom seems not to be catching up with nearly 70 years of developement funded by an industry that counts for trillions of dollars.
These home brewed genetics will not produce anything close to the FCR, rate of gain, conformation or disease resistance of commercial meat chickens.
Some are happy with the results they achieve but it is a little like a campfire burned hotdog dropped in the dirt tasting better than any other you ever ate - if you cooked it yourself.

I respectfully disagree.............. as a dedicated breeder and one who knows something about genetics the idea is not half baked, admorable but not half baked. Now on your behalf there are many folks who are trying this with little or no success, this project is not for the newby's or faint of heart. Your common backyard/pet type chicken person doesn't stand a chance with a project of this scope. I have worked on my program for 3 yrs now, patients, dedication, knowledge, and ones ability to do it right. Meaning selecting the proper parent stock, non of which includes anything close to Hatchery junk, and culling from day one. To make a long story short I think most folks have a convaluted idea as to what to expect from the final outcome and are unrealistic in those goals.

I have decided what I wanted was a bird who could reach weights of 6-9lbs at 18-22 wks, can forage are active can run and roost, lay large fertil eggs often, and that will continue to reproduce chicks consistantly that will do the same. They will have very well defined meaty breast with a body cavity that can sustain them without any heart/leg problems and the most important thing be tasty and tender even at any age. I am there now and am working on getting large numbers on the ground in order to start selling them or their hatching eggs.

AL

 

[rSpriggs]

Thanks for the replies!
Neil, I realize that it's not likely to create a backyard version of the RCC (not looking to raise feathered slugs, anyway), but I do believe that Al has a point. Any info on success stories are appreciated!
Russ

 

[stuckinthecity]

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[al6517]

Quote:
I also do see some truth to his statement as far as follow up on those projects, alot of folks think it's as simple a just making a certain cross and that's that, when in effect it is soooooo much more. So when their patients runs thin after stage one they don't want to post failure, but are unwilling to go any further or realy just settle for much less.

If you would like to see some of the F-4 birds I have raised I would be happy to share.

AL

 

[rSpriggs]

Yes, sounds great!
I must admit, I'm nowhere near being scientific / multi-generational about this; more like wondering what "mix" may be good for the long haul.
My hens are BR & Speckled Sussex, with a Black Cochin as a brooder (hopefully). All a year or less old.
I have 8 SS chick 10 days old, & a Light Brahma & a Buff Brahma, same age.

After several years of various kinds, I like these as being good foragers, egg layers, and pretty solid.

I really don't know what my 2 roos are (pics posted a year or so ago), but they are BIG!

 

[Bossroo]

Please define "BIG" ... as in actual pounds ( live and carcass ) as measured on an accurate scale and age . I inherited my parents' ( my dad was a Vet) flock of Dual Purpose mutt chickens. Mostly crosses of BR, NH, RIR, with Leghorn, Buckeye, and other breeds mixed in. He selected for feed efficiency, meat production size and egg production for @ 50 years. Pretty didn't count for much, only prety is as prety does. I raised them for over 4 decades . Crossed and crisscrossed and occasionally added new genetics from selected farm and UCD flocks, then severely culled the offspring yearly using a scale for weights at slaughter and daily egg record for the flock ( 10-12 hens = 10-12 eggs /day,hatching about 100 chicks/ year). In the end, I managed to improve the dressed weights by 1 1/2 pounds at 20 weeks of age from what I started with. Nowhere near the results I got from a couple test batches of Cornish X birds in terms of harvested meat, feed efficiency and time . Accurate records for annual $$$ in and $$$ out for annual yields of meat and eggs, and TIME don't lie. My result... who was I kidding, I switcharooed to Cornish X for my meat birds.

 

[ftpagain]

what happened? did this thread move?

would sure be nice to learn about the findings. could save other people (that have similar ideas) a lot of time and resources..... anyone?

 

[Johnboy 89]

what happened? did this thread move? 

would sure be nice to learn about the findings. could save other people (that have similar ideas) a lot of time and resources..... anyone?

I am thinking about trying something a good 4 way cross breeding black giant roosters to Rhode island red hens and new hampshire red roosters to white rock hens then taking chicks from each cross and crossing them over each other

 

[mdrake]

I think the goal is not to make a "commercial meat bird" but rather a tasteful larger bird that can be kept arround the barnyars as a layer or butchered for the meat. Take a white cornish, white rock, buff orpington, buckeye, new Hampshire, possible a jersey giant cross and a few more and you will have it. A large tasteful cross. Now what's the exact perfect mix of these?