Best meat chickens?

[Kristin228]

Hello guys! It’s been awhile! I still have all six of my egg layers and now I plan on getting meat chickens! What do you guys feel like is the best kind of chicken for meat? Thanks!

 

[RUNuts]

WOW! Open ended question. The answers will run something like this:
Cornish cross (CX) is most economical. Best feed conversion to meat. If your goal is meat in 6-8 weeks, get CX.
Everything else. The broilers are usually male. Will crow. Will have smaller carcasses. Cost more per pound and take longer (16-20 weeks) to get to butchering size.

Caged or free ranged? Store bought or you planning on hatching your own?

I raised some heritage layers (girls) for the meat since crowing boys are a no no. Taste like nothing in the store.

I'm raising for taste. Trying CX this go and trying to decide on next group. If I do get a straight run broiler group, the boys go to first crow (8-12 weeks) and will get harvested early. They will be smaller and used for gumbo. Girls will go full term (18-20 ish weeks).

What are your goals? Best wishes!

 

[Rose Quartz]

Taste wise i would suggest barred rock. Or barred rock crossed with an ISA brown.

 

[Redhead Rae]

I bought Large Fowl Dark Cornish trio to hatch chicks from to fill my meat requirements. But I only have 6 chicks under 2 weeks from them so far. I still eat my DP (Dual Purpose) roosters. I find the the DP roosters are a bit short on meat so I wanted to get a meatier bird. Although, it seems like my Cochin and Cochin cross birds do pretty well in the meat department as well. My 26 week Cochin/Dominique BSL males dressed out between 3-4 lbs.

 

[KathryninQuebec]

This year we are going to Raise Canadian Bresse, Barred Rock and Light Sussex for multi purpose. But for straight meat bird we are excited about trying Mistral Gris from True North Heritage Hatchery in B.C. Canada. The owner is a member of BYC. Before we only tried CX.

https://truenorthfarm.ca/

 

[mixedbreeds]

Depends on what you want Cornish x have been explained well above. I haven’t tried any but I have some Malines hens that look real good very heavy meaty looking birds you might look into them if you don’t like the broilers.

 

[Kristin228]

WOW! Open ended question. The answers will run something like this:
Cornish cross (CX) is most economical. Best feed conversion to meat. If your goal is meat in 6-8 weeks, get CX.
Everything else. The broilers are usually male. Will crow. Will have smaller carcasses. Cost more per pound and take longer (16-20 weeks) to get to butchering size.

Caged or free ranged? Store bought or you planning on hatching your own?

I raised some heritage layers (girls) for the meat since crowing boys are a no no. Taste like nothing in the store.

I'm raising for taste. Trying CX this go and trying to decide on next group. If I do get a straight run broiler group, the boys go to first crow (8-12 weeks) and will get harvested early. They will be smaller and used for gumbo. Girls will go full term (18-20 ish weeks).

What are your goals? Best wishes!

CX sounds the best for what I'm looking for. I plan on getting a smaller amount of chicks to start out with. I just want to try out how I like having meat chickens and how well it goes! They will be housed in a chicken coop. There is an indoor area and an outdoor pen attached. I plan on purchasing them from Runnings. I don't really want any males, so broilers aren't my first choice. Thank you so much for your helpful feedback!

 

[Kristin228]

Taste wise i would suggest barred rock. Or barred rock crossed with an ISA brown.

Okay, great, thank you! Should I get a mix of BR and CX?

 

[Kristin228]

I bought Large Fowl Dark Cornish trio to hatch chicks from to fill my meat requirements. But I only have 6 chicks under 2 weeks from them so far. I still eat my DP (Dual Purpose) roosters. I find the the DP roosters are a bit short on meat so I wanted to get a meatier bird. Although, it seems like my Cochin and Cochin cross birds do pretty well in the meat department as well. My 26 week Cochin/Dominique BSL males dressed out between 3-4 lbs.

Thank you for the helpful info!

 

[Kristin228]

This year we are going to Raise Canadian Bresse, Barred Rock and Light Sussex for multi purpose. But for straight meat bird we are excited about trying Mistral Gris from True North Heritage Hatchery in B.C. Canada. The owner is a member of BYC. Before we only tried CX.

https://truenorthfarm.ca/

Awesome, thank you!