Butchering Freedom Rangers vs Cornish X

[bigredfeather]

For those of you that have butchered both Cornish X's and Freedom Rangers, are they comparable as to ease. I am going to try some FR next Spring, and was curious if they dress as easy as a Cornish.

Thanks.

 

[al6517]

I have, and to be honest I can't really tell any difference as far as processing goes. I do find the texture to vary some between the two breeds and taste is negledgable. I think with better management of the cornish x more folks would raise them. You hear so many stories of folks being totally unprepared to deal with this type of bird and some obstackles that go with raising them.

AL

 

[bigredfeather]

I like the Cornish, and feel I have graduated from the learning curve they carry. I am wanting to do a batch of FR during the hotter Summer months (June - August). I have never tried any Cornishes during these months for obvious reasons. After butchering some older roos, I found them harder to pluck and gut. I know FR take longer than the Cornish, so that is the reason behind my question.

 

[Buster52]

I'm still determined to keep Dark Cornish as my home grown meat bird, but I am toying with an idea of order 25 each of Freedom Ranger, Cornish X, and hatching out some DC to raise at the same time, just to say I did it. I'm new and have never done the CX and certainly not FRs, so I feel I need to do it just to learn and observe.

That way, if I still stick with the decision to raise only heritage breeds, it will at least be an informed decision.

 

[Bossroo]

After decades of personally raising the dual purpose or heritage breeds, egg breeds as well as most crosses thereof, I find the Cornish X superior in all counts hands down. Today's heritage breeds are only a shadow of what they once were in our grandfathers' time. Genetically they are NOT the same bird as they have been selectively bred by small flockholders and hatcheries for many generations for egg laying ability with only little regard for meat qualities. One can eat the cull or excess roosters afterall. Whereas the Cornish X has been selectively and scientifically bred for meat qualities and feed conversion qualities in the shortest period of time over the last half century. Four years ago these facts were painfully braught to me when I first baught my first Cornish X. I thaught that I had a great flock of RIR, NH, and BR and their crosses as I was raising them for decades from my parents' original birds. These new to me birds made mine look puny in comparison, but mine seemed to taste a little better. So, I started to top dress their feed with cracked corn for the last 2 weeks prior to slaughter at 6-8 weeks of age. Now they taste just as good as mine ever did. I also found the Cornish X more economical to raise in terms to time, amount of labor, and total meat yield than my own flock did. The result was that all of my old flock made it to freezer camp pronto. Nostalgia is one thing, however the reality and economics of the times is another.

 

[minifarmer]

I've raised both CX and FR's at the same time and the only processing difference worth noting was the pin feathers of the FR's being more noticable. But that made them easier to get! Karla

 

[Salt and Light]

I've raised and killed both X-rocks and Freedom rangers. For me, there is no difference between butchering the two EXCEPT for catching them. The Freedom Rangers move much quicker than the x-rocks!

 

[TarzantheChickenMan]

By brother in law did both this year. HE did 200 Cornish X this spring and 100 FR this fall he said hes not doing the FR again due to the amount of feed they ate and how long it took to grow, 16weeks, and they still weren't as large as the CX at 6 weeks. He was disappointed. I am going to give the FR a shot next spring and see for my self. I finished the last of my 50 CX this morning.

 

[Salt and Light]

IMO, the rangers do eat more feed with less weight gain. This MAY be related to their activity level compared to the x-rocks. Honestly, I can't stand raising x-rocks. I think they are a more efficient bird to raise but they are nasty.

 

[tnchicken]

I agree with S&L- the CX tend to just be nasty. I am toward the end of my first batch of colored meat birds now. They do grow slower (the larger birds have weighed in at about 4.5 pounds live at 7-1/2weeks) but they are much more pleasant to raise.