Buckeyes as meat birds?

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Has anyone tried raising Buckeyes as meat birds? I was reading the NYTimes today, and they mentioned Buckeyes as great meat birds. I really don't want Cornish, but I have a great source for Buckeyes and they're on the critical list.

Erika

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

I was looking at Delawares for that reason just yesterday.
Check them out too.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Dels/BRKDelawares.html

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/poultry/chickens/delaware/

http://www.albc-usa.org/cpl/delaware.html

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I actually have 3 Delaware pullets. I had planned on just doing layers, but now that the ladies are out in the chicken tractor, I have an empty brooder, and once the chicken palace is done, I will have an empty chicken tractor...

Just think about it. Empty places where there could be chickens. Makes you shiver.

 

[greyfields]

No purebreed is very satisfying as a "meat bird". They don't have the body conformation, growth rates or FCR's to make them practical. If you look at the ammount of time and feed you have to put into a heavy breed cockrel (or pullet) to reach slaughter size, 15+ weeks, you are better off buying organic, free range, raised on cushions from Whole Foods.

The only satisfying broilers are hybrids. There are alternatives to raising Cornish Crosses which don't have the associated problems, but will still form meaty carcasses. Just browse the first few pages here.

If you truly want to make your own meat birds in the backyard, you need to get a Cornish Rooster (or better yet, two or three). You can use them to sire any fertile eggs you produce and you will get far better results doing your own home 'Cornish Crosses' than with any purebreed out there. A Cornish X Deleware sounds very promising.

 

[conny63malies]

Well Ms Ledbetter(sp?) created them to be dual purpose birds. but as greyfields said, they will never be the same a cornish X. But one a buckeye stops laying or crowing they still make a respectable pot of chicken and dumplings

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

What you say makes sense, Grayfields. I was also thinking of doing just that (getting some Cornish cockerels) since I also have the Delaware ladies.

One question; does it matter if the boys are dark Cornish vs. white?

Erika

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Dark Cornish make better eye candy.

I don't know if you intend to free range or not, but the darker more colorful birds will camoflauge easier than the stark white of the plain Cornish.

 

[greyfields]

Dual Purpose = More Meat than a Leghorn

It sounds good in a chicken book, but they're still scrawny.

As far as Cornish, I have never in my life been able to locate a White Cornish (only bantams). I use my Dark Cornish on different hens to make my own meat birds. They don't grow nearly as agressively as the commercial genetics; but for me it's just a cool thing to do.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

That's why I asked--I assumed that I wouldn't be able to find a white Cornish, since the commercial folks guard them so jealously.

And yes, I will pasture them. Camouflage? Does that stop the hawks? Maybe I'll have to get out my green and brown spray paint!

 

[Settin'_Pretty]

I was thinking about a white laced red cornish sire on a delaware hen

I think that might be a pretty interesting bird.