Are my birds suitable for eating?

[ShrekDawg]

I think the two birds on the second picture would be a good choice for breeding as they seem to be quite large! The Speckled Sussex and the Orpington/Wyandotte cross would be good choices as well. Just about any bird can be eaten but if you’re trying to breed for meat, I’d just choose the largest birds rather than one specific breed. And try to make sure it’s not just all fluff you can weigh them or just pick them up/feel them to see if they’re actually as big as they look.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.

This type of question is fairly common on here. Unfortunately it is an essay type question, not true-false and you usually wind up with many more questions than answers.

What do you consider a good meat bird? What traits are you after? For many people size is hugely important, not so much for others. How do you feel about ratio of dark meat to light? The way you want to cook them can have a big impact on what age you need to butcher them. Some of us like an early maturing bird as opposed to one that takes longer to mature. Are you only eating the boys or will you eat the girls too? Will you be buying everything they eat or will they forage for a lot of their food? If you are buying all their feed you might want one with a good feed to meat conversion ratio. Are you planning on plucking them or skinning? If you pluck a light colored bird will give a prettier carcass than the a darker bird. Your Ayam Cemani/Olive Egger mix might have really dark, even black meat. Would that be a problem? There are other traits that some of us find important. Some of these might point you more toward a Cornish X or Ranger type than a dual purpose. You'll find all kinds of different ways we go about that on here.

Of your breeds and crosses.

I'd go with the Dominique rooster. All his offspring will be barred, no big deal, but with most hens they will also be black. If you pluck that may be an issue. Dominique were developed to be a dual purpose chicken and should suit you. Polish are often bantams so they will not have much meat on them just form size. Their body conformation may not be very meaty either, more bones than meat.

Orpington/Wyandotte hen - Should work well. Both are good dual purpose breeds.

2 Sumatra- Whatever the sexes thee are more ornamental than for meat. Their body conformation is not for meat and form what I have read they are pretty small.

2 Speckled Sussex- Another good dual purpose breed. Sussex are pretty popular for meat in the UK.

A red/brown pullet and Olive Egger - If they are about the size of your Orp/Wyandotte or Sussex hens either should work well. That's your judgment call, you are looking at them.

Ayam Cemani/Olive Egger- Would black meat cause a problem, might not be appetizing? And the Ayam Cemani are typically pretty small chickens. Again your judgment but I would not have much hopes.

These suggestions are based on what I'd consider a good dual purpose meat bird. It may not suit you ate all. This is the point where I suggest you try it and see how it suits you. If you don't like it eat the results and use that knowledge gained to better plan that next round. If you have questions, ask away.

 

[TarynH]

I would take the male's all and put them in a seperate space, or leave the one you hope to be flockmaster and seperate the remaining males. Tale pictures of the tails for the others and we can find how many males you actually got XD

 

[TarynH]

Both the Sumatras and at least one of your speckled sussexes are cockerels. Also, your Dominique isn’t purebred.

I knew the Don was a mix. The lady who gave us the eggs to hatch has all mix breeds. My husband though one of the SS might be a rooster but no crowing. Ugh how can you tell if they don’t crow?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Not sure on the blue bird but that Sussex, black bird, and the barred bird are definitely cockerels.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I think the two birds on the second picture would be a good choice for breeding as they seem to be quite large! The Speckled Sussex and the Orpington/Wyandotte cross would be good choices as well. Just about any bird can be eaten but if you’re trying to breed for meat, I’d just choose the largest birds rather than one specific breed. And try to make sure it’s not just all fluff you can weigh them or just pick them up/feel them to see if they’re actually as big as they look.

Echoing, though I have no experience with the Sussex, I know Orps can get quite large, and my Wyandottes (as is typical for the breed) are pretty fast to mature, which is something you want in a dual purpose bird.

"Make sure its not all fluff" always good advice. My Dark Brahma will **eventually** become very large birds. They are covered in fluff, and look huge. On the scale, they are essentially the same weight as my "Rainbows", one of my Comets (which is supposed to be a lightweight, egg-producing machine - and is! - except for weight). They only have about 1/2# on my Wyandotte - which are half the age! When you consider feeding a bird 8 months to reach 5.5#, or 5 months to reach 5#, that last 8 oz starts looking really pricy. Also, my Wyandotte are just starting to lay eggs, while the Brahma all went over 7 months before starting (the onset of shorter days as winter approached had some impact, but on both breeds).

 

[TarynH]

I

Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.

This type of question is fairly common on here. Unfortunately it is an essay type question, not true-false and you usually wind up with many more questions than answers.

What do you consider a good meat bird? What traits are you after? For many people size is hugely important, not so much for others. How do you feel about ratio of dark meat to light? The way you want to cook them can have a big impact on what age you need to butcher them. Some of us like an early maturing bird as opposed to one that takes longer to mature. Are you only eating the boys or will you eat the girls too? Will you be buying everything they eat or will they forage for a lot of their food? If you are buying all their feed you might want one with a good feed to meat conversion ratio. Are you planning on plucking them or skinning? If you pluck a light colored bird will give a prettier carcass than the a darker bird. Your Ayam Cemani/Olive Egger mix might have really dark, even black meat. Would that be a problem? There are other traits that some of us find important. Some of these might point you more toward a Cornish X or Ranger type than a dual purpose. You'll find all kinds of different ways we go about that on here.

Of your breeds and crosses.

I'd go with the Dominique rooster. All his offspring will be barred, no big deal, but with most hens they will also be black. If you pluck that may be an issue. Dominique were developed to be a dual purpose chicken and should suit you. Polish are often bantams so they will not have much meat on them just form size. Their body conformation may not be very meaty either, more bones than meat.

Orpington/Wyandotte hen - Should work well. Both are good dual purpose breeds.

2 Sumatra- Whatever the sexes thee are more ornamental than for meat. Their body conformation is not for meat and form what I have read they are pretty small.

2 Speckled Sussex- Another good dual purpose breed. Sussex are pretty popular for meat in the UK.

A red/brown pullet and Olive Egger - If they are about the size of your Orp/Wyandotte or Sussex hens either should work well. That's your judgment call, you are looking at them.

Ayam Cemani/Olive Egger- Would black meat cause a problem, might not be appetizing? And the Ayam Cemani are typically pretty small chickens. Again your judgment but I would not have much hopes.

These suggestions are based on what I'd consider a good dual purpose meat bird. It may not suit you ate all. This is the point where I suggest you try it and see how it suits you. If you don't like it eat the results and use that knowledge gained to better plan that next round. If you have questions, ask away.

I’ve had bad meat quality in the last year with chickens including organic. Weird tastes and texture. There are 3 of us to feed and we can probably fit 4 chickens in a freezer at any given time. All our birds free range but I also have a little chicken forage area that I’m planting stuff in for them to pick at as well as scratch/crumbles in the coop

 

[ShrekDawg]

I knew the Don was a mix. The lady who gave us the eggs to hatch has all mix breeds. My husband though one of the SS might be a rooster but no crowing. Ugh how can you tell if they don’t crow?

Sometimes they can take a while to start crowing, especially if there is another dominant rooster. One of mine didn’t start crowing until like 6 months old. Here is a good page with lots of examples of males vs females if you want to scroll through. First way would be he has a massive, very red comb and wattles quite young (he’s only 12 weeks right?). Females stay pale a while. Second is the long, pointed, red hackle feathers on his neck. Females don’t have that and it would be spotted all the way up usually. And lastly his massive green tail and pointed saddle feathers. Females can have green too but their tails are usually quite rounded. Lots of good pictures and examples here.

https://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sussex/BRKSussex.html

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I knew the Don was a mix. The lady who gave us the eggs to hatch has all mix breeds. My husband though one of the SS might be a rooster but no crowing. Ugh how can you tell if they don’t crow?

The feathers that drape down around the tail bone. If they're small and round, more than likely hen (except for hen feathered breeds). Long and pointy means male

 

[MysteryChicken]

They are boys!? How can you tell? The woman who gave them to me said they were female and they are with my rooster and no problems or crowing oh boy

Pointy saddle feathers.