BR's or RIR's?

[bee_wrangler]

I would like your opinions on what is a better meat chicken, Barred Rock or Rhode Island Red? I would like to compair size, taiste, grow rate and any other reasons that makes one better than the other. From what I have read up on the BR's are more mild temper, but the RIR's are larger. Would like to hear your opinions please!

 

[cubalaya]

both of them are good to eat, good brown egg layers and get decent sized.

 

[johnscalido]

RIR are hardy birds. There meat is quite tough compared to other layers.

 

[sdlacrow]

Our BR hens are much larger than our RIR hens so I would think they would make a more appealing carcass. Ours are hatchery stock (I believe from Cackle)so may depend on where you get your birds.

 

[Hurst]

Quote:
Agreed

 

[cubalaya]

yes, their meat is firmer than cornish x super mush birds. but either one is very edible, at least the ones i have. the new hampshire was created using rir only and they were the early broiler industry meat birds.

 

[Mervin]

I always had the impression that BRs were supposed to be a little bigger actually. I suppose it would really depend on the source though. I know that my hatchery BRs certainly aren't huge, but they are my favorites for personality though. Personally I've decided to concentrate on BRs, but I'm not really trying for meat birds. I just want some friendly, winter-hardy layers with good size. The extra cockerels would become fricassee or Bar-B-Q.

After my Welsummer roos expire, I'm going to find a nice BR and put him on everything and see what I like best.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

We don't raise BR's but have raised RIR's for years. They are a good overall bird, good layers, sitters, mothers. The roo's are very protective of their flock (I think that's why alot of people say they are agressive) The body shape of the RIR gives you a long full breast meat. It won't be as thick or dense as say a Dark Cornish but it will be longer.

Steve

 

[bja105]

My neighbor's barred rocks look a lot bigger than my Rhode Island Reds, comparing hens. I have not been around a Barred Rock rooster or cockeral.

My Red cockerals last year were good to eat, if a bit tough and scrawney compared to our meat birds. They had lond and deep, but narrow breasts that we liked. they were butchered at 3 and 4 months.