Best for breast meat?

[havi]

Im thinking about growing a few birds for eating. Ive never done this, I keep mine for the eggs. I was wondering what would be the best bird for the most amount of breast meat? I dont want to spend a lot on feed and I dont plan to raise a lot of them, maybe 10-15 at a time. My FIL told me today that he would process them for me. Since I cant do the dirty work myself. I know, I know.

With me being new to all this, what other pointers can you give to a newbie?

 

[UncleHoot]

Any Cornish Cross type is probably what you want. Often, these are simply called "Meat Chickens" depending on where you order from. They're big and white, and they are the industry standard. Every hatchery sells them, and there isn't much difference between hatcheries.

For lots of breast meat, you can have them processed at 8-9 weeks. If you let them go beyond 9 weeks, often they will start dying of heart attacks. Plus, heat becomes a problem as they age, so if you're in an area that expects temperatures above 85-90 degrees when they will be 6-7 weeks or older, think twice about trying to keep them around too long.

Other advice... Don't keep them in the brooder too long! They are a lot hardier than many books will tell you. When night-time temperatures are above 60, 2 weeks in the brooder should be plenty. Otherwise, 3 weeks. Give them an area that is 95 degrees the first week, then start lowering it by about 4 degrees per day for the next couple weeks.

Many of us keep them outside from 3 weeks on. I recommend that, as the poop and smell will start to build up in an enclosed space. But many folks here, and some of my friends, raise them in their barns until market weight, so it's your choice. 10 or less won't be as big of a problem indoors, though.

2 square feet of space per chicken is plenty. You can get by with much less when they are chicks.

I have someone else process mine, too. I don't know how to do it myself, but even if I did, I don't think I could do as good of a job.

 

[cassie]

Just remember that the amount you spend on feed you reap with meat. All that chicken feed gets converted into chicken.

 

[cluckinchicken]

Cornish cross or Vantress for sure.
I did Vantress this year and I LOVE them!! Boy are they yummy.
I got them from Townline Hatchery in Zeeland MI but I'm sure you can find some in your neck o' the woods.

They ended up costing me approximately 9.00 each incl processing fee (2.50/bird)

Mary

 

[jaku]

Quote:
Ditto to all that.

 

[chickabator]

cobbs I bought eggs from poohevans on here and we processed them today at 4 weeks old I promise you they have the bigest breast I have ever seen on a chicken. they dressed out 3.5-5 lbs and them 4 weeks old they were huge but man did they stink!!

 

[havi]

Thanks for the help. The only thing is that most of these places you have to order at least 25. That is way to many for me. With my FIL saying he will do it for free, I dont want to put too many on him at once. Maybe after a couple of times and he decides he wants to keep some too, then maybe. But I would feel kinda bad putting 25 chickens off on him to process.


chicka-Are you saying that the type of chicken is cobbs? Or something else? I might try that. Only thing is that I would prefer to buy chicks, so I dont have to worry about doing the incubator thing.

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
Cornish crosses have the biggest breasts. You might want to try Cackle Hatchery,I think their min. is 15 chicks.They are in MO. good luck. Will

 

[chickabator]

yes the breed are cobbs mine got bigger than the cornish x's the only reason we processed at 4 weeks is dh could not handle the smell of the poo. they were monsters. I wish I had taken pictures of them before we butchered yesterday and then after . I love getting 5lber's at 4 weeks. they were on feed for 12 off for 12. Poohevans has the parent stock I don't know where she got them don't care where she got them but they are NOT a cornish x they look nothing like them whatsoever.