Breeding meat birds, how do hatcheries do it

[Timskins]

I read so many threads of people saving a hen and rooster from the broiler order in an attempt to breed them and it usually doesn't happen or they get very poor results. I was just wondering how the hatcheries are able to do it in such high numbers. Is artificial insemination a viable means?

 

[foreverlearning]

Meat birds do not breed true so it won't work. Every hatchery has their own mix of breeds so if you like one they have you can go on their website and find out what breed they use for both the male and female. Then when they breed the chicks will be broilers. This is from cacklehatchery.com:

"The Cornish Cross Chicken (Cornish X), (Broiler), (Cornish/rock), (Jumbo Cornish cross) is a cross between the Commercial Cornish chicken and a White Rock Chicken." ..... "Cackle Hatchery currently hatches out the “Cobb 500” blood line/strain with occasionally hatching the “Ross 308” blood line/strain."....

Some places specify what one should be the hen and what one should be the roo to get the mix they have. Every place has a different mix they use but some of the most common are leghorn, white rock, and regular cornish. It may take a while and some trial and error to hatch out your own but it is possible.

 

[Timskins]

That makes sense, thanks.

 

[call ducks]

I read so many threads of people saving a hen and rooster from the broiler order in an attempt to breed them and it usually doesn't happen or they get very poor results. I was just wondering how the hatcheries are able to do it in such high numbers. Is artificial insemination a viable means?

Commercial broiler breeders use 4 way crosses - four way crosses result in the most heteros ( hybrid vigor). The breeder farms have lines AB and CD ( the parent generations). What you get as a consumer is the terminal generation (line ABCD).

When a new commerical bird is started they often have stock I call cultivators - preexisting stock.

In reality it is near impossible for a backyard person to start their own broiler breeding program - it involves hatching hundreds or thousands of chicks a year, heavy culling, and a lot of knowledge that is not common place.