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I have also heard the same about hatchery birds being a bit scrawny for meat, my BCM's are from a local breeder as well, and they are the biggest of my girls by far! A few of my New Hampshires are a good size for hatchery birds, but the rest are still pretty small and I wouldn't expect much meat on them.
I actually prefer thigh meat to breast on my chicken, so I'm less concerned about the breast size and would rather get larger thighs and more flavor in a slightly older bird than huge breasted birds at 8 weeks.
I am totally in agreement with you. I have always been a dark meat person but we use the breasts from the birds to make homemade chicken strips for sandwiches and salads or for making breast rolls like chicken cordon bleau or chicken broccoli and cheese. You don't neat a thick breast for that just a breast. Another bird I am really liking for meat is the Delaware. I have some young ones that I hatched out from breeder stock that has been grown for quickly maturing, good body weight and heritage type quality. They are 7 weeks right now and look like little melons when they walk they are big and very breasty. I still think I will have to grow them out for 24 weeks rather than 12 weeks but I think they will be a good size once they get there.
My main criteria for a meat bird is that it needs to be something that I can reproduce without buying more each year. This is one of the main reasons the CRX doesn't work for me. I would rather not pay but make my own meaties at home. So far the ones I have eaten have been really good and the only cost I pay is for feed and electricity for my incubator and brooder.
