White Plymouth Rocks?

[Acre4Me]

We are thinking of buying White PR to raise for meat. Any experience here? We’ve butchered a few unwanted males at around 14-16 weeks, of dual purpose breeds. But these PR would be purchased for the specific purpose of butchering around 15-16 weeks.

We usually raise a batch of Cornish cross in the fall to butcher later Oct. so, we are familiar with both Cornish cross and dual purpose carcass. We have heard that White Plymouth Rocks are a good breed for meat.

Just looking for input from those with experience with White PR males fit nest.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't have any specific experience with White Rocks, but I'll tell a little history. I think it is relevant. Before the Cornish X took over the chicken meat market in the middle of the 1900's, three of the typical breeds raised for meat in the US were Delaware, New Hampshire, and certain strains of White Rock. These were not bred to the breed standard for show, they were bred for enhanced meat properties. But when the Cornish X took over there was no need to continue breeding these for meat properties. What this means is that for the last 70 years hatcheries and breeders in general have not been breeding them for meat properties. Some people breed them for show which is not the same as breeding them for meat properties but compared to today's hatchery birds they should be better stock.

You'll notice I said certain strains of White Rock. Even back in the 1940's and 1950's when they were being raised for meat birds all White Rocks were not. Some were more specialized as egg layers. If you are breeding them for egg qualities instead of meat qualities you enhance different qualities. Strain was important then, it still is.

Different hatcheries have different people determining which chickens get to breed. They use different criteria in choosing their breeders so some hatchery chickens may come closer to meeting your criteria than others. I think Sand Hill is sometimes mentioned as being decent but I've never bought from them. But don't expect a hatchery bird to be anywhere as good of a meat bird as one from a breeder that is actually breeding them for meat. Good luck finding one of those. Someone breeding for show typically breeds larger birds than the hatcheries so they aren't a horrible choice but they may not have as high a feed to meat conversion ratio or early maturity that some people want for a meat bird.

Personally the hatchery birds suit me fine. The way I raise and feed them I'm not that concerned with feed to meat conversion ratio and the way we eat them size isn't that important. But it sounds like your goals and criteria are different.

What I'm trying to say is that the strain of whatever breed you choose is probably more important than the actual breed. But some breeds will be better for you than others. If they are the right strain of White Rock I'd consider that breed a good choice.

I'll also mention this about hatchery birds. One year I wanted to add Buff Rock to my flock so I ordered 20 cockerels from Ideal Hatchery. I kept one to be my flock master and ate the rest. Even from the same flock there was a tremendous difference in the size of those cockerels at the same age and a difference in their maturity date. Both of those are important qualities of meat birds, even to me. I've done that before, when I order chicks from a hatchery I usually order several cockerels to raise for meat. A big difference in individual size and maturity is pretty consistent in any breed and from any hatchery.

 

[Acre4Me]

Who did you order from?

http://eaglenestohio.com/

Probably the most basic website out there..no pics. But, we buy from the a couple times a year. Never have gotten their WPR. But we do buy their meat chickens, exhibition chickens, and barnyard breeds. This year we are raising one of their high production layers for the first time -only 4 weeks old, so we don’t know much about them yet.

 

[gatrapper]

I've been looking into those and McMurray's Delaware Broiler hybrid. Curious to see what everyone says. Just picked up a batch of Cornish Rocks today.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks!!

I placed an order for 20 males ($0.80 each) and 4 females ($2.50 each) of their White Plymouth Rocks.

The website indicates that “many generations of selection have evolved these large bodied hens into an excellent dual-purpose strain”. I called and asked about the males for meat and was told that they are a good choice for meat.

So, we will see how they do come August!

 

[gatrapper]

Thanks! I'm having trouble finding pricing and availability info on the site. Is there a special spot to find it?

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks! I'm having trouble finding pricing and availability info on the site. Is there a special spot to find it?

Yes. A phone call! If you don’t get them this afternoon, they will be there 9am Thursday - likely most of the day. Hatch day is Wed, and pickups usually Wed afternoon or Thursday all day. They can send you a paper catalogue with pricing for the year in there. You should ask when you call about any availability if something specific. Some things are in limited quantity (like exhibition breeds), but others are available nearly year round.

 

[CNJ]

I have experience with white Plymouth Rocks from Mcmurray. The roosters grew big and matured faster than other heritage breeds, but the hens were small. They barely reached 4 lbs dressed after a year. However, they made up for their size with good egg production.

I recommend breeding the rooster to Cornish X to improve the line for meat. This cross will produce meatier birds, but will probably lower egg production. Then breed the hens from this cross back to their father.

The Cornish X parent hen will probably develop obesity problems before her chicks are old enough to breed.

 

[Arosie]

We are thinking of buying White PR to raise for meat. Any experience here? We’ve butchered a few unwanted males at around 14-16 weeks, of dual purpose breeds. But these PR would be purchased for the specific purpose of butchering around 15-16 weeks.

We usually raise a batch of Cornish cross in the fall to butcher later Oct. so, we are familiar with both Cornish cross and dual purpose carcass. We have heard that White Plymouth Rocks are a good breed for meat.

Just looking for input from those with experience with White PR males fit nest.

I was wondering the same thing. I've butchered Cornish X before but never did a batch of heritage breeds so I was thinking about WPRs too. Thanks for sharing your supplier!

 

[Acre4Me]

How did it go for you with your meat chickens? We are pondering doing as you are as we would like to grow a meaty type bird that can reproduce on its own rather than buying chicks twice a year. Looking at white rocks and dark cornish.

Decent. We kept one male and 3 females, which now live together in a pen.

We raised the batch to a certain point and separated the females so they would not get terribly harassed. Since they were raised in a pen, and despite not being with or seeing any females, there was some fighting. Also, we had one feed location, meaning to add a second, but we never did. When we butchered them, it was clear that a couple had been kept from food by the more dominant males. Also, they crowed a lot (not to the extent of male leghorns or male Marans, which have been out loudest and most annoying males ever), but loud and noisy - more than we enjoyed, they got annoying.

Once butchered, the well fed males had a nice carcass. Nothing like a Cornish x, but good amount of meat. We butchered at 16 weeks. Overall, we will stick with Cornish cross bc they are so efficient, and we butcher at 7.5 weeks. Last week we butchered the cornish cross we raised and they were split in half, bc a half gives my family about 2 full meals and some leftovers. Also, we don’t have the space to free range or to pen in a larger setup. So the Cornish work better for us.