Breeds for Meat Birds?

[3KillerBs]

Appreciate the clarification, Killer! It appears that they are straight up lying then, in the breed description on the website. That puts a very bad taste in my mouth.

The catalog description seems ambiguous to me.

One person on my old thread suggested that they were recreating the old Indian River broiler cross -- though why they wouldn't just use that name I have no idea (maybe it's patented?).

 

[Humble Shack Farm]

I emailed Freedom Ranger Hatchery and asked about their New Hampshires. I told them I knew someone who had ordered their birds a few years ago and who was very happy with them. They said that if I ordered I would be getting the same line/quality. They don't have any availability until August, but I might need that time to prepare anyways.

 

[imacowgirl2]

Hey what's their max weight top out at? I was wondering because I know you can butcher before that and didn't know if you did.

I know this is a bit of an older thread...

But I just processed 3 of my New Hampshires from Freedom Ranger Hatchery this weekend; at 13 weeks old...the roo was over 9 lbs live weight and dressed to 5.8 pounds, and the hens were about 6.5 lbs live and 3.5 lbs dressed (I did use two different scales so I think the is some discrepancy there...I feel like the dressed hens are pretty close in size to the 4 lb birds I buy at the store) - to put it mildly, I am VERY happy with these birds and already thinking about when I should place my next order for.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/processed-our-first-new-hampshire-s-today.1556559/

 

[davidmpenning]

I know this is a bit of an older thread...

But I just processed 3 of my New Hampshires from Freedom Ranger Hatchery this weekend; at 13 weeks old...the roo was over 9 lbs live weight and dressed to 5.8 pounds, and the hens were about 6.5 lbs live and 3.5 lbs dressed (I did use two different scales so I think the is some discrepancy there...I feel like the dressed hens are pretty close in size to the 4 lb birds I buy at the store) - to put it mildly, I am VERY happy with these birds and already thinking about when I should place my next order for.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/processed-our-first-new-hampshire-s-today.1556559/

With as big as they are, do you think they’ll be too big to breed effectively?

Also, those are great weights!! I’ve got some NHs, but they’re more of the heritage breed. I LOVE them. The cockerel is actually the friendliest chicken I’ve owned, haha. I’ve thought about the Noll line through Freedom, but just wasn’t sure if they would be able to breed.

 

[Solanacae]

Ive tried all kinds of chickens and always planned to be self sustainable. What ive found are New Hampshires. Dont get these for egg layers though and get a good utility bred strain.

I personally like Henry Nolls' New Hampshires and you can get them from Freedom Ranger Ranch. These birds get freaking huge. I got several roosters over 7 lbs in 16-18 weeks. They are the closest thing to CX but these birds are self sustainable. They lay decent for utility birds.

They are nice gentle birds but have a zest for life. They breed well and their meat is fine textured and reminds me of pheasant meat.

American Bresse are being touted as the greatest meat birds lately. They are not meat birds, more dual purpose. They are somewhat meaty compared to most heritage birds but they cant shine a light to NHs.

AB are decent layers and their eggs are delicious But... they are not a stabilized breed yet.

I highly recommend Henry Nolls New Hampshire's. You will be blown away!

Here are some pictures of my biggest NH rooster. Hes in a coop with the 4 biggest NH hens. He came from my second batch. First batch was only 12 birds. Second batch i got 100 of Henry's NHs because i was so satisfied with my first batch a year prior.

I gave some away some frozen carcasses for Christmas and my friends loved them.

I dont think you will buy a better chick for self sustainable meat production!

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If there was ever a chicken that looked like a bodybuilder, this is the one!

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I am starting to raise some oriental games with the goal of being meat producers. Just throwing that out there.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

This is a long thread and I confess I didn't read it through. I'm only interjecting here to address the original post.

You list a bunch of "breeds" you have that are hatchery stock. And admit your hens are skinny so I think you know where I'm going with this- Get birds that were bred to the SOP.

There are more than a few actual well bred breeds that make for fair meat. One is all you need and if you want to maintain sustainability on a homestead one or two breeds is all you should attempt to keep. Buckeye, New Hampshire and even Naked Neck are good dual purpose birds. There are more so take your time finding a source and do your research. Get the best stock you can and pick one breed.

I'd mentioned two breeds as there is an often overlooked bird or it's looked at in what I think is the wrong light- Brahma. Brahma are a large bird and folks think that or Jersey Giants are great meat birds due to size. Well, that's not the way to look at it as they didn't replace the turkey and Giants would be extinct if not for conservation efforts. It's not economically viable to grow a bird that big for slaughter. But the Brahma males made great broiler age meaties. Proper carcass at a young age and rids you of growing out males. The females are of the best winter layers out there when most breeds peter out in the cold months. So if a person lived in northern climates, had the space to commit and did want a second breed the Brahma is a complimentary resource to a more productive dual purpose breed when homesteading.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Perhaps look into Asian Blacks. My pair grew super fast and the male is giant. Like the size of a 5 gallon rubber bucket. His son is huge too. He's 4 months old and towers over everyone in the flock He's in right now.

Docile too, I haven't had a single bite or kick from either one, even in puberty.

 

[peepdaddy]

I am starting to raise some oriental games with the goal of being meat producers. Just throwing that out there.

Big Tom,
I raised some of the larger Asian breeds in the past. They were great chickens. Beautiful birds and very gentle. I thought they would be good meat birds but their meat was too tough.
Not saying they all are, just the ones I raised. I was much younger then and less experienced and maybe I just didn't prepare them correctly?

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Yeah, few birds taste like the 8-week-old cx we buy at the store. Honestly, I am not a huge fan of the game taste, but it is better than starvation.