Best meat chickens?

[BillW77]

I've raised Cornish x and freedom rangers for meat, I prefer the breast meat that the cornish cross gives. It's a better tasting meatier bird imo.

 

[JDN]

I ended up getting CX chicks y’all! They look super healthy and I will hopefully have a good experience with my first meat chickens! Thank you everyone for your help

It was pretty easy when I did it. If you want the whole free range pastured thing my advice is get them on grass early.

 

[Member 482121]

I am raising 44 Australorps for meat (the roosters) and eggs (the hens). I may sell some of the hens. I haven't made up my mind yet.

 

[potatoesgonnapotate]

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

Your comment sent me into researching the barred rocks for meat; I'm now the proud mama of 10 intended for meat. Thank you!

 

[Rose Quartz]

Your comment sent me into researching the barred rocks for meat; I'm now the proud mama of 10 intended for meat. Thank you!

^_^

 

[RUNuts]

Your comment sent me into researching the barred rocks for meat; I'm now the proud mama of 10 intended for meat. Thank you!

Hatchery stock or a true dual purpose breeder? I used hatchery stock and later found out they are smaller than the norm. Delicious, don't get me wrong. I'd like to find a dual purpose breeder close.

 

[potatoesgonnapotate]

Hatchery stock or a true dual purpose breeder? I used hatchery stock and later found out they are smaller than the norm. Delicious, don't get me wrong. I'd like to find a dual purpose breeder close.

They're hatchery stock. They were just hatched Tuesday so they're still tiny balls of fluff, but I'll do my best to remember, and I'll try to weigh them every 4 weeks or so. I'll share final pictures too. I know to expect smaller birds than my Cornish crosses, but the comments on flavor differences intrigued me so I have barred rocks, red rangers, Cornish crosses (4 weeks ahead of everyone else), and sagittas. I figure if nothing else I'll have some great meat to put into chili or soup, and money isn't what I'm involved in raising my chickens for, so I do expect quite a financial loss on this year. Oh well...I do what I need to for my sanity (my tiny little "homestead" is part of my coping mechanism for being widowed nearly a year ago).

 

[RUNuts]

Sorry for your loss.

We can help with the sanity check. Several threads helped during the last hurricane. Frustrating sitting around and not being able to do much.

Last year, we ordered 25 mixes to try. The barred rock hens were 18 weeks. Thin, yet full of flavor. I got hooked. Didn't taste like wild duck, but so much closer. Found a local guy doing CX pastured poultry. So much better than grocery store. I ordered 10 chicks and am down to 5 at 7.5 weeks. We are fostering a pregnant dog that had 6 puppies. Crazy Lady has her hands full and I get to build another doghouse. In a separate kennel. The things we do for love. Anyway, harvest was put off a week.

The CX are not as ravenous as they were. Eating more grass and clover. I have a tractor in the garden plot and let them out for a wonder around. The remaining 5 are starting to explore and doing a lot more than sitting and eating. I'm concerned for the garden. But they stay in the grass - mostly.

Are you ranging them? Or just providing feed in the coop/run? Brother is free ranging and at times they don't eat much of the prepared feed. Unfortunately, the coons, hawks, owls are eating the chickens before he gets a chance to.

I think about it like this, prepared feed chickens are in the grocery store and cheap. Grass fed, pastured poultry is a lot more expensive and I get the comfort of meeting my food. Just one bad day, as they say.

Cheers and ask a lot of questions if you can't find them on the search!