BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[hellbender]

Not so much in this thread but if you look around the site you'll see people making comments about how the standard only matters for show, or well bred stock can't be productive, breeders that breed to the standard don't care about productivity they only care about pretty feathers. Basically just ignorance as most of us in this thread know, but always worth mentioning.

OK..We can certainly agree there! Don't be a stranger to this thread as I personally appreciate your knowledge and experience.

RON

 

[southernmomma]

For meat quality (and eggs) you would be far better off to buy from a hatchery. You can order all cockerels very cheaply..dirt cheap, raise them up and do your thing. You will not be disappointed. Else, you could cross a couple or three of your SS to a good looking Dark Cornish cock and you would be quite happy with that as a grand meat bird and a reasonably good layer.

The Dark Cornish hens are excellent broods too. If my NNs weren't so broody, I would have 8 or 10 Dark Cornish hens floating about.


George, to the extent that I've never seen a SOP Cornish in the flesh, I still agree with your point, based upon what I've read about the SOP birds and the fact that I have been around the hatchery DC for decades and I actually like them very much.

Really. Huh. I love coming across these little nuggets of information. It's hard to know which direction to head when starting from ground zero. Anyone else want to drop some knowledge on me about broody breeds on the meaty side of DP?

M

 

[BGMatt]

Really. Huh.  I love coming across these little nuggets of information.  It's hard to know which direction to head when starting from ground zero.  Anyone else want to drop some knowledge on me about broody breeds on the meaty side of DP?

M

Cochins aren't as fluffy as you think and have a LOT of meat, and also very broody. Downside to them (along with the other asiatics) is slow growth. You can put some pressure on it, but then you lose the great size. The Cochin and Brahma were both primarily meat fowl, definitely roasters though. I will admit that the tendency to not be super active and supreme reluctance to perch does keep the breast meat tender longer.

 

[southernmomma]

Thanks Matt~ I've read they are not especially suited to ranging, it would seem you share that opinion (?)
You know, before I found this forum I never dreamed in my wildest dream that folks kept chickens as pets.....and now a little part of me and my thought process is tainted by that. My fear would be that I'd have a harder time chopping a cochin's head off versus a breed that was primarily kept as livestock. Silly I'm sure but still something I think of

M

 

[gjensen]

Matt, I agree with you on many points. Not this one. To me modern Cochins are strictly ornamental. I think their utility merits are in the contributions that they made to many breeds in the past.

I think they are fine for those who like them, but farms birds they are far removed from being.

I am also not sure by what standards fluffiness is measured, but Cochins are excessively feathered. A lot of protein ($) goes into all of that feather maintenance. I am no fan of excessive on any point, and especially when it concerns qty. of feather.

I have no moral objections to birds being ornamental, but when that is what they are, I would just as soon call it as I see it.

I am sorry to any Cochin enthusiasts, but efficiency is not what they have come to be known for.

 

[BGMatt]

 Matt, I agree with you on many points. Not this one. To me modern Cochins are strictly ornamental. I think their utility merits are in the contributions that they made to many breeds in the past.

 I think they are fine for those who like them, but farms birds they are far removed from being.

 I am also not sure by what standards fluffiness is measured, but Cochins are excessively feathered. A lot of protein ($) goes into all of that feather maintenance. I am no fan of excessive on any point, and especially when it concerns qty. of feather.

 I have no moral objections to birds being ornamental, but when that is what they are, I would just as soon call it as I see it.

 I am sorry to any Cochin enthusiasts, but efficiency is not what they have come to be known for.

Oh I'm not defending them as any sort of efficient meat bird, just saying as a roaster they flesh out pretty well. I'm not a fan of the breed myself, very inactive, lethargic, boring, but if you've ever handled a good one there's a ton of meat on them and it's tasty too. I have also handled some (ok, plenty) that are all feather and no substance.

 

[gjensen]

These could be/should be good meat birds. I will cut myself short of saying that they are. They do have potential.

I keep saying how they grow out matters as much as anything. These feather out fast, and mature reasonably fast. They are not fast to fill out. Jeremy shared some Reese/Bonham birds with me. They filled out how a NH should. I kept a single male and he was used on a couple of my hens. I have some 3/4 offspring here. Time will tell if I use them, go another generation, or kill them all. I hope to be able to use them. There is two things that I wanted them for.

 

[hellbender]

These could be/should be good meat birds. I will cut myself short of saying that they are. They do have potential.

I keep saying how they grow out matters as much as anything. These feather out fast, and mature reasonably fast. They are not fast to fill out. Jeremy shared some Reese/Bonham birds with me. They filled out how a NH should. I kept a single male and he was used on a couple of my hens. I have some 3/4 offspring here. Time will tell if I use them, go another generation, or kill them all. I hope to be able to use them. There is two things that I wanted them for.

Very nice birds!!

 

[YardBirdMom]

When it comes to chickens I have NO clue what form over function is even suppose to look like, let alone attempting to breed for it. Quite honestly, it isn't an important thing for me at this time.

I bred American Quarter Horses for well over a decade and it was called "Form to Function", so I understand what it is, but am not knowledgeable enough about this particular species to attempt it, nor do I have the energy at this time either lol

However, I do love learning and find this thread interesting because it seems we'll have ample discussion from both sides of the debate I'm in!!

 

[gjensen]

Form's relation to function, and vice versa, varies from breed to breed like it would in horses. To get it, is to get to know a breed and know why it should be what it is.