Breeds for producing meat chickens

[Wee Acre Farm]

I raise Buckeyes and Barred Rocks and cross them also to produce black sex links. All the males are used f or meat and turn out fairly well. Both are known for being a heavy bird. Yes it takes longer but is a great alternative to the cornish

 

[tniron]

I talked to Mr. Frank Reese tonight and he no longer ships hatching eggs.You must pick them up at his farm.

 

[NoChickLftBhind]

Originally Posted by teaspoon

I checked all the roosters today (they weren't very happy about it) and decided that two of the EEs are a little more meaty than the other roos. So now I need to know, since all the chickens live in the same enclosure right now, how long do I need to keep the other roosters from breeding the hens in order to be sure of who the father is? I am able to separate them, the other roosters can live in the goat pen for a while.

I'm probably too late in telling you this, and hopefully there wasn't a problem, but you have to be really careful in mixing goats and chickens, our vet has repeatedly told us not to let the goats eat chicken food, it's very bad for their digestive system.

 

[gander007]

Originally Posted by teaspoon

I checked all the roosters today (they weren't very happy about it) and decided that two of the EEs are a little more meaty than the other roos. So now I need to know, since all the chickens live in the same enclosure right now, how long do I need to keep the other roosters from breeding the hens in order to be sure of who the father is? I am able to separate them, the other roosters can live in the goat pen for a while.

I'm probably too late in telling you this, and hopefully there wasn't a problem, but you have to be really careful in mixing goats and chickens, our vet has repeatedly told us not to let the goats eat chicken food, it's very bad for their digestive system.

I do 30 days

 

[LindaB220]

Originally Posted by teaspoon

I checked all the roosters today (they weren't very happy about it) and decided that two of the EEs are a little more meaty than the other roos. So now I need to know, since all the chickens live in the same enclosure right now, how long do I need to keep the other roosters from breeding the hens in order to be sure of who the father is? I am able to separate them, the other roosters can live in the goat pen for a while.

I'm probably too late in telling you this, and hopefully there wasn't a problem, but you have to be really careful in mixing goats and chickens, our vet has repeatedly told us not to let the goats eat chicken food, it's very bad for their digestive system.

Separate the other roosters out and keep the breeding one in to get to know the girls. Start collecting hatching eggs after 3+ weeks.

 

[subhanalah]

Okay, I am interested in raising up some meat birds.
I've been perusing McMurray hatchery and came across some meat birds that allegedly lay semi decent, but I'm wondering if they have the same problems as the Cornish X et. al. or if they are a breed all their own, and you can breed them and they breed true.
On the pages with the Cornish or Cornish cross, it has a warning stating those birds are short lived and should not be intended for breeding, but these two don't have that same warning.
Here's what I was looking at:
This would probably be my first choice. I also like that the Butcher time is 12 weeks instead of 8, they have better flavor since they are on range longer but I'm not feeding them for 6 months to get them to size first like with typical dual purpose birds..
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/pioneer.html
Then there are these guys.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/red_ranger_broiler.html

 

[Susanv47]

My family always raised white leghorns for meat. May have been just because thats what was available.

 

[LindaB220]

My family always raised white leghorns for meat. May have been just because thats what was available.

Hey Susan,

Your family probably had the older kind that was bigger. I've seen old pictures and those birds were big.

 

[subhanalah]

Hey Susan,         Your family probably had the older kind that was bigger.  I've seen old pictures and those birds were big. 

x2, but now they do sell male leg horns as "frypan specials"

 

[LindaB220]

x2, but now they do sell male leg horns as "frypan specials"

Tiny, tiny