Best "Non-Meat-Bird" Meat Bird?

[Anne]

Uh... if that makes any sense at all!

I'd like to raise some birds specifically for meat, that will be of a decent size for butchering before they get tough. HOWEVER, I don't want anything that's bred to eat itself to death given the opportunity (cornish cross etc). Any ideas?

 

[Illia]

There's a lot of heritage breeds out there, they grow slow but are good, the meat is far tastier.

There's the Label Rouge / Freedom Rangers - Meat birds able to live normal lives.

There's also a lot of projects out there too, I myself am working on one.

There's Cornish. Real ones, not the broiler birds.


Honestly your Araucanas should be pretty decent, at least mine, they're my favorite to eat of all the breeds I've ever raised.

But, I usually breed for a good sized breast too though. I'm amazed at how much and good of breast meat they give so early. They're smaller than most breeds, but good eating.

 

[Bossroo]

First, one should learn how to raise a meat bird and one will not have problems of them eating themselves to death. Unless of course one enjoys spending many times more $$$$ in feed, time and labor.

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Some people like normal chickens you know.

Ones that aren't ugly, abnormally quick in growth, having special needs, etc.

 

[bigredfeather]

Quote:
Some people like normal chickens you know.

Ones that aren't ugly, abnormally quick in growth, having special needs, etc.

Please don't pick on and make fun of the "fat kids".

 

[ChickenAlgebra]

Quote:
Some people like normal chickens you know.

Ones that aren't ugly, abnormally quick in growth, having special needs, etc.

I don't know, the CX are pretty cute actually. I find them adorable in the dinosaur chicken stage. They just are freaking stinky beasties, even with the best of care.

However, DH just got 25 black sex linked males, so they are going to be the capon project birds. I'll set aside 5 for normal development just to see the difference.

 

[95yj]

I'm raising standard cornish chicks right now, strictly for meat. Their three weeks old and about the same size as my freedom rangers were at that age, there growing wikid fast. But they are also really energetic, but so are cx's up to that age. They're also getting agressive, i can't stick my hand in the brooder without getting pecked, not "i'm curious, what are you?" pecks, but real "i want to kill you, even though your like 100x my weight" type pecks. can't wait till i have 15 super aggressive, very active, vey fast 10 pound roosters running around my yard...

 

[Break an Egg]

Quote:
Some people like normal chickens you know.

Ones that aren't ugly, abnormally quick in growth, having special needs, etc.

Please don't pick on and make fun of the "fat kids".

 

[journey11]

I've been looking at trying Light Sussex, Black Copper Marans and Buckeyes myself. I've done the CX a couple years now, and we like eating them, but it's a stressful few weeks raising them. I'm looking more for a dual purpose/homestead flock. Eggs are important to me too.

I've heard that EE's make a pretty decent meat bird too. I have a couple hens and they are a nice size.

 

[GhostRider65]

I bought just the dual purpose birds, for my flock
that way I get eggs and meat, just remember to butcher before their 6 months old I have read they are tougher if you wait, also read that leaving them in the fridge a couple days before freezing makes them more tender as well ? sorta ages them I guess you would call it Like when we get deer in the fall, they hang 2 days before I start butchering, in the cool garage,if its warm here, its cool them down with a garden hose butcher almost immediately then cool it in the fridge 2 days and freeze. If you look up the hreeds chart it will tell you the dual purpose breeds I tried to pick the prettiest of the dualiies least broody, large eggs, good production it will help if you print the pages and check off what your looking for. say like white egg layer or brown, comb type if it matter ect. Kim