Best breed for meat?

[sourland]

I liked the CX and limited feed. Yes, they turn to blobs when given unlimited feed. Something else? Are you in a hurry? (CX with limited feed.) On a budget? (CX with limited feed.) Money and time is no object? Then anything tastes like chicken!

Read in this section about Red Rangers, Moyer's selections and all the variety. Report back and we will encourage you.

I've raised Barred Rock hens, CX and Barnyard Surprises. The CX with limited feed are larger, more economical, but taste close to the same. Close, diet plays a part. Spoiled me for grocery store meat or restaurant fare. Really, it comes down to your system and what you want.

If you are satisfied with heritage chicken carcasses, pick a direction and go. If you like large breasts and legs, nothing compares to CX. Although the purpose meat breeds are getting close.

I want to encourage you to look at how you want to raise the birds, then pick the breed that meets your goals of meat. As with all projects, define time, cost and quality. In my backyard, speed and cost rule, so managed CX. I'm trying the home hatched eggs (through my short sightedness, I wound up with egg laying hatchery stock and am getting small birds). Learning a lot. Cockerels started crowing at 11 weeks and dressed at 1.5 pounds. Taste great. Making soup.

@RUNuts , I commend you on an excellent, common sense response to the OP's request. Very evidently U R not Nuts.

 

[RUNuts]

@RUNuts , I commend you on an excellent, common sense response to the OP's request. Very evidently U R not Nuts.

A high compliment from one such as yourself. Thank you, but we are all mad here.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

LOL! Too funny, too true.

 

[aliciaplus3]

Ok I have been working on my meat mix breed.... best right now is my Delaware crosses. I put my Big white rooster over my privet hatchery Delawares and ended up with one Male that hit 5 pounds at 12 weeks. He is now in the breeding pen with my Necked necks and the eggs in the incubator are out of him and his half sister and the Delaware hens. 2 of the chicks in the growout look to be on track to hit that 5 pounds by 12 to 14 weeks.... very exciting.
I guess my point is pick one and work with it , keep the ones you want to eat(meaning the ones that get big fast or have the quality's you are looking for) and eat the ones that dont meet the criteria to go in the breeding pen.
Some of the original meat birds were the new Hampshire and the Delaware. I am rather fond of a white Plymouth rock too.... lol

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Any pics by any chance?

I have a slow white broiler female who just started laying she grow a little slower and little smaller than my Red Ranger females. I recommend Red Rangers. They aren't a breed because they are a Hybrid but they aren't CX. Slightly larger and faster growing than Slow White Broilers though. The Slow White Broilers seem like a meat production line of White Rocks to me.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Don't ever want to raise CX again. Don't ever ever want to do BR for meat so that's a no go.

Why are you dead set against CX. If we know why you don't like them, you may get better recommendations. How do you plan to raise your meat birds? what are you looking for - besides meat.

I want something that grows like normal chickens. Don't want to do Barred Rocks because to me they're only good for eggs and then living our their lives after they stop laying.
I just don't like CX, I'm not good at explaining so sorry.
Don't need big meat ones, just something we can raise for a couple meals for us and the rest for the dogs.

 

[Compost King]

Any pics by any chance?

not handy, I can take one tomorrow. She looks like a White Rock just a little bigger and faster growing

 

[Chickenheadmate]

not handy, I can take one tomorrow. She looks like a White Rock just a little bigger and faster growing

Would probably make a decent cross for meat with a DC from a breeder.

 

[Compost King]

Would probably make a decent cross for meat with a DC from a breeder.

Right now my plan is to cross her with my white naked neck, then cross my White Naked Neck with a Cornish X hen, then cross the 2 different offspring. Trying to make a meaty Naked Neck.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Right now my plan is to cross her with my white naked neck, then cross my White Naked Neck with a Cornish X hen, then cross the 2 different offspring. Trying to make a meaty Naked Neck.

I think you're on track