besides cornish x whats a good meatie

[Bossroo]

My father , who was a Vet, bred BR,RIR, and NH. He received his original birds from his uncle. So combined, they selected for the fasted growing and largest chickens for half a century. He had the best chickens in the area. I started with chicks from his flock, then inherited his flock and did the same selection factors. These birds' genetics were from 100+/- years ago , so not of the current hatchery strains. Then about 4 years ago, I came accross the Cornish X, and raised them side by side in several test runs. Let us say that there was no comparison in rate of growth, time to slaughter, and feed conversion. Richness of taste of a chicken is basically in the skin and fat, so the older they get, the more fat they have and chewier they get, so will have a more pronounced flavor. However, the younger the bird, the more tender the meat. Flavor greatly depends on the meathod of cooking and skill of the cook. Using both great grandmothers recipes and my wife's cooking skills makes for a gormet feast indeed. YUM !!! Nostalgia only goes so far. In the changing times of the real world you eather adapt or suffer being left behind. I now raise the Cornish X.

 

[PotterWatch]

I have only raised cornish cross and red broilers, but the reds didn't compare to the cornish in size and frankly weren't any better in taste.

 

[kstaven]

The OP asked about alternates. Not about marketing 100's of birds for profit.

 

[PotterWatch]

Guess I'll keep my trap shut then.

 

[Highlander]

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I butchered a couple of brahmas last year and while the bones were bigger than a smaller breed of chicken there wasn't actually that much more meat, perhaps even less.

 

[homesteadapps]

The strain of Buckeyes we are working with have reached dressed weights of 4 pounds plus in around 20 weeks starting them then allowing them to free range in the yard and fields. Great taste, mild texture -- not mushy meat like a Cornish X.

If you are raising chickens as a business to make money then the Cornish X are going to be a better option since most people have become accustomed to the Cornish X lack of flavor and mushy texture. It is actually what they expect their chicken to be like.


If you are raising for your own use then White, Barred, Buff rocks are also a good choice.

The Hybrids do make for fast meat in the freezer, but the other types of chickens when properly cook are more tasty -- not the chicken most of us know now.


Speaking to the past. Here in NW Ohio where we are is is clear how valuable the chickens were just less than a century ago. Many old farm houses still have the old chicken coops converted to sheds now.

 

[Bossroo]

... " Many old farm houses still have the old chicken coops converted to sheds now". So, if these old chicken breeds were so great, why are there no chickens in these coops today ?

What do these farmers now know that we don't ?

 

[gjensen]

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Do you still have or have access to the birds that your father raised?

 

[homesteadapps]

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A lot of small farms were wiped out in the late 70 and early 80's.

It's more profitable grow and sell grain. To compete in the marketplace you need economies of scale 50,000 head chicken houses. Consumers demand low prices and the market responded.


Most of these old timers had chickens around for eggs and just let them eat what they could find. With our grand parents -- it wasn't so much they couldn't make money farming, but they just got to old to do it and rented the land that was once used for pasture as corn fields that they could rent to other farmers. When the grand parent's die the kids sell the land because they didn't want to farm. No sure but I don't think that chicken's were not part of the decision at all.

#1 answer -- most people want cheap food prices and don't want to do it themselves.

 

[phasianidae]

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