Americauna x Easter Egger - Good X ? + Feeding ?

[stormhasit]

I have some hens that I was told as chicks that they were Americauna's. I then aquired a Beautiful Americauna Roo in anticipation. After much research and searching - I find out that I do not have Americauna's but are in fact Easter Eggers.

What do you think of the cross of an EE & the Americauna? The ultimate personal goal is for egg layers, brood hens and meat birds with the focus being more on meat than eggs.
As for other breeds on the place - I have for Hens: Australorpes/ Buff Orphingtons/ Rhode Island Reds/ Silver Laced Wyndottes/ & Barred Rocks... and then for Roo's I have 2: Americauna (very cocky boy that you DO NOT want to turn your back on!!) & Silver Laced Wyndotte (BIG Gorgeous Bird!! and Very Gentle!) Which breeds should I focus more on?

The hens are due to start laying in about a month. I have an incubator/ hatcher/ and brooder all set in place and ready.

Not sure if I should start another topic here or not - but I also am wondering what I feed the birds I am raising specifically for meat. I have checked some different sources and some make it sound horrible - changing their feed every couple of weeks it seems!! Others just free range and hope for the best... is one better than the other? I am thinking of starting them on the medicated game bird starter but then I think I heard that I shouldn't feed them anything medicated... any suggestions?

 

[Judy]

Most people keep EE's for eggs rather than meat, although of course you can eat any chicken. Your other breeds are dual purpose breeds, bred to used for eggs or meat. I don't think there is a lot of variation between them when used for meat. The frequent feed changes are probably a reference to Cornish X, which are already a hybrid and do not breed true, and are bred specifically for meat. It is the Cornish X that is sold in the grocery store. Colored rangers and Cornish are also often used for meat; colored rangers are also a hybrid and bred for meat.

I am not trying to be unkind here, but I think you will need to do a lot of reading in the meat bird section. There are several different kinds of birds that people raise for meat, there are pros and cons for each type, and they are all managed differently. Plus there are differing opinions out there about the best management for each kind. It's just not a subject that can be covered in a couple of paragraphs.

And if I said something you already know, no intent to offend here....

BTW, there have been some interesting threads here recently about people wanting to breed their own meat birds, with some input from people who are knowledgeable about breeds and breeding.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I have to second that. I've always thought of the EE's & Amer.s as more of an "ornamental egg layer". It would seem like a waste to eat them during productive years.