Best meat breeds?

[U_Stormcrow]

I hesitate to mention breeds because others are going to have other preferences. I'd suggest you consider Delawares, Rocks, Wyandottes, and New Hampshire. But there are a lot of other great ones that should do well in Florida.

I'm going to suggest stayin clean of the Wyan - but those others are all good suggestions.

Most of your farm stores in mid-Fl are getting birds from Hoovers. I've had Hoover's Wyans. Slow to grow, slow to start laying, not big eggs, and not frequent layers. None of my Wyan girls passed 6#, none started laying till month seven, about 4 eggs a week on average, and they were only about 5# when they started laying.

OTOH, they were my most predator aware birds.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why I hesitated @U_Stormcrow

We all have our own opinions. And I value yours. A lot of this depends on where you get the birds. The person that determines which birds get to breed has a lot to say about size (especially at butcher age) and other traits. And it depends on what traits you want. I'll admit, I prefer my mixed breed dual purpose over any breed I've ever had. I bred them to suit me.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Why I hesitated @U_Stormcrow

We all have our own opinions. And I value yours. A lot of this depends on where you get the birds. The person that determines which birds get to breed has a lot to say about size (especially at butcher age) and other traits. And it depends on what traits you want. I'll admit, I prefer my mixed breed dual purpose over any breed I've ever had. I bred them to suit me.

I'm breeding (culling, technically) my own for the same reason. The farm store is unreliable in what they are stocking, and the quality is, at best, average.