Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[jolenesdad]

Also. I picked up 6 Cornish from TSC today. They're pretty damn cute as chicks. I have them all set up in the brooder, they've been hiding under the heat plate. Hopefully tomorrow they start venturing out more.

Here we go!!!! Good luck!!!

 

[Parront]

Oh my gosh. Those chickens processed all ready to go to the market are so skinny!!

When I was a young child from about 6 to my teens I remember going to the in town A&P Supermarket here in town and we would usually buy a whole chicken to bake. Thinking back they were no were near as much white meat a today.

It was a looooooooong time ago.

Like the 70's? That is when I started cooking, and have the pressure cooker and it's instruction book with recipes for those skinny chickens!

 

[Parront]

The broiler chickens in the 70's were not much bigger than that video of the "chicken of tomorrow"! 1/2 of a chicken was a serving for one person when I was just starting out in ~1976.

 

[jolenesdad]

I called Freedom Ranger hatchery.

Henry Noll is a geneticist from Penn state. He keeps two lines of birds now as pet projects, the Delaware, and a New Hampshire. The Delaware…UGH... has been selected more for eggs than meat. It’s still probably more meaty than a typical hatchery Delaware.

The hatchery said however that his New Hampshire line HAS been selected for meat. Good sized males in 12 ish weeks, and, you must limit feed on the girls if you want them to lay.

 

[Newyorkrita]

I called Freedom Ranger hatchery.

Henry Noll is a geneticist from Penn state. He keeps two lines of birds now as pet projects, the Delaware, and a New Hampshire. The Delaware…UGH... has been selected more for eggs than meat. It’s still probably more meaty than a typical hatchery Delaware.

The hatchery said however that his New Hampshire line HAS been selected for meat. Good sized males in 12 ish weeks, and, you must limit feed on the girls if you want them to lay.

This is good to know!! Thank you for the information.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Like the 70's? That is when I started cooking, and have the pressure cooker and it's instruction book with recipes for those skinny chickens!

Well, for me I was referring to in the 50's and 60's. I am in my 70's now so when I was a young child was so long ago.

But I forget how much supermarket chickens have changed from way back then unless I am reminded somehow. That video was quite the trip back in time!!

 

[Compost King]

I called Freedom Ranger hatchery.

Henry Noll is a geneticist from Penn state. He keeps two lines of birds now as pet projects, the Delaware, and a New Hampshire. The Delaware…UGH... has been selected more for eggs than meat. It’s still probably more meaty than a typical hatchery Delaware.

The hatchery said however that his New Hampshire line HAS been selected for meat. Good sized males in 12 ish weeks, and, you must limit feed on the girls if you want them to lay.

I am glad you called, I can't call hatcheries because I am deaf and the lip reading trick is kinda hard to do over the phone. The New Hampshire line he has actually came from Germany where people were breeding for meat at the same time the USA was breeding for eggs. Then the line was brought back to the USA as one of the best lines for Meat as far as New Hampshires go. Thats what I read on their website anyways.

 

[jolenesdad]

I am glad you called, I can't call hatcheries because I am deaf and the lip reading trick is kinda hard to do over the phone. The New Hampshire line he has actually came from Germany where people were breeding for meat at the same time the USA was breeding for eggs. Then the line was brought back to the USA as one of the best lines for Meat as far as New Hampshires go. Thats what I read on their website anyways.

That’s cool I o know about the New Hampshires!

Glad to help out!!!

 

[Newyorkrita]

I just reread from page 1 to 16 of this thread. I actually don't think I started at page one but jumped in at around page 15 when I originally start following this thread.

 

[Bookworm0124]

All are doing well so far. Added in a few pekins yesterday. I have hardware cloth coming today so I can hopefully finish my tractor soon and get them outside during the days within the next day or so. Daytime temperatures here right now are mid to high 80's-low 90's for the next week. I'll bring out the heat plate for them just in case.