Choosing a Meat Bird

[illinoishiker]

I'm trying to choose which breed to raise for meat birds. I have a big Buff Orpington roo and three Speckled Sussex pullets. I'm thinking either Delawares or Chanteclers would make a good cross for meat birds. I live in north central Arkansas and the summers get very hot. Can the Chantecler take the summer heat? Last year I raised Buffs for the freezer saving this fellow that got bigger than the rest the quickest and he has a gentle personality. I'll probably raise some chicks from the SS but want to come up with a good meaty cross that might grow faster than the Buffs. I don't want Cornish Cross. I want happy healthy chickens right up to when they go to the freezer.

 

[Chicken poppy]

Serama. Meatiest birds alive.

Joking! No clue, im vegan.

 

[MildlyOffensiveChicken]

I have Delaware “broilers” from McMurray.

I kept back 3 cockerals. 2 are beautiful examples. 1 has odd barring, but I liked it.

The 12 pullets are a bit “sloppy”. 3-4 at any time have injuries to their feet. They also are messy poopers, backsides are often dirty. I plan to cull out 1/2 in the fall and keep the “good” ones.

Although I didn’t weigh at butchering, the males were probably 3lbs at 10 weeks after butchering.
Here is 2 of the Delaware cockerels at 75 days - 10 weeks - with a BCM (the darker carcass on the left) that was nearly 2 years - large bird.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

https://www.poultryshowcentral.com/ok-new-hampshire-red-hatching-eggs.html

Quick look for New Hampshire breeding stock near you came up with the above in OK. Honestly almost any breeder stock will do well for homesteading. If you are sourcing your birds from hatchery stock then it's an uphill battle to get to a decent carcass and growth rate. Orpington are mostly the English version of Plymouth Rock. Growth rate and frame are nearly identical. A New Hampshire or Buckeye stock from a breeder would do well on it's own. A popular cross for broilers pre CornishX was Plymouth Rock over New Hampshire. It was from this cross the Delaware was produced. Delaware basically being a white New Hampshire in growth traits.

Look into local poultry groups and see what you can find for non hatchery dual purpose birds and go from there. The growth and size of a true breed is not comparable to hatchery stock.

 

[iwltfum]

Black austrolorp, Delawares, and barred rock would be my choice if picking heritage breeds for the heaviest weight, but any heavy breed will be less tolerant in the heat than lighter breeds. Also Delawares get picked off quicker if you have predator pressure on account of they are white.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Here's Buckeye in Arkansas from the American Buckeye Club.

Sissy’s Poultry Pen
James Cunningham
17 CR 636
Bay, AR. 72411
Phone: 870-638-9396
Email: [email protected]
Offers: Day Old Chicks and Hatching Eggs
Breeder Since 2014: Hatchery
NPIP#: 71-0685

Here's a Facebook link to New Hampshire Fanciers. You may find something of quality local there.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/NHBCA/about/

 

[illinoishiker]

Ok thanks for the thoughts. I know white birds are an issue with predators and we have eagles. My pit and aussie keep any 4 legged predators well away. I am interested in the Buckeyes as a possibility. I have some 5 year old Australoups. They don't lay much anymore but they are good brooders and mothers.

 

[trescloudy]

I'm trying to choose which breed to raise for meat birds. I have a big Buff Orpington roo and three Speckled Sussex pullets. I'm thinking either Delawares or Chanteclers would make a good cross for meat birds. I live in north central Arkansas and the summers get very hot. Can the Chantecler take the summer heat? Last year I raised Buffs for the freezer saving this fellow that got bigger than the rest the quickest and he has a gentle personality. I'll probably raise some chicks from the SS but want to come up with a good meaty cross that might grow faster than the Buffs. I don't want Cornish Cross. I want happy healthy chickens right up to when they go to the freezer.

Check out this thread...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/cornish-rock-meat-bird-breeding-project.1400633/

 

[trescloudy]

I'm trying to choose which breed to raise for meat birds. I have a big Buff Orpington roo and three Speckled Sussex pullets. I'm thinking either Delawares or Chanteclers would make a good cross for meat birds. I live in north central Arkansas and the summers get very hot. Can the Chantecler take the summer heat? Last year I raised Buffs for the freezer saving this fellow that got bigger than the rest the quickest and he has a gentle personality. I'll probably raise some chicks from the SS but want to come up with a good meaty cross that might grow faster than the Buffs. I don't want Cornish Cross. I want happy healthy chickens right up to when they go to the freezer.

You can raise cornish cross healthy straight to the freezer. Dont give them full time access to 24% protein feed after 3 to 4 weeks.

After that make them forage by giving them enough feed to eat in 10 minutes. Increase feed slowly by giving them a little more time to feed. Throw a little low corn scratch around so they forage.

Keep the feeder and drinker high so they cant lay right in front of them. Put feeder and drinkers as far apart as possible... make them excersize.

I have a cx rooster and cx hen right now that are over 2 years old. I just lost a 2 year old hen and it is tough to keep them beyond 2 years but its possible if you try.

 

[CNJ]

The gaint White Chantecler chicken look like a good meat heritage breed. This is something that I am interested in, but don't have them.
https://www.cacklehatchery.com/product/white-chantecler-chicken/