Colored Broiler breeding?

[Jared77]

Anybody tried this? Ive seen the colored broilers on Ideals page and wondered if they could reproduce naturally. Slower growth rate compared to the CRX, but still faster than any other dual purpose breed. I don't have the space right now otherwise Id hold some back and see what happened.

Thoughts?

 

[chickensrfood]

Im sure they reproduce naturally but I think the issue is they are just cross breeds. So when breeding them you will not get the same birds you started with some may be smaller, or slower growing.

I was thinking of trying ideals black broilers but the cornishx just seem to good to bother with any other bird.

 

[Jared77]

Now is their accelerated growth due from good breeding (say a New Hampshire or Delware) or because its a hybrid?

If you monitored your chicks keep the ones that get the biggest the fastest and hold those back for breeding and work to isolate those traits through good selection and in a few generations it can breed true. Just trying to not reinvent the wheel....just enhance it.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
Of course, you're not the first to have thought of this; if it was easy for the backyard chicken breeder to accomplish, there would be lots of people doing it.

The "breeds" that the commercial crosses are created from have been developed on a very large scale for decades. It's not practical for a small time chicken breeder to accomplish the same thing.

That's not to say that improvements to existing stock cannot be made in the backyard, just that you shouldn't expect to duplicate the results of the commercial hatcheries.

 

[Jared77]

True, its just tough to find any quality stock to work with and build from there. Thats what made me wonder if the growth rate could be recreated or not.

 

[chickensrfood]

I was wondering if those white cornish bantams would make good little meat birds. Obviously not a huge carcass but maybe they grow faster?

I can't find the whites in standard size.

I am sure a lot of the good stock is never sold it is what sustains the egg suppliers to the hatcheries. If we all bred our own it could really cut their sales.

 

[speedy2020]

I have been wondering the same thing. I read some where the purebred New Hampshire mature in 4 months, but haven't locate the stock around WA yet. I like to cross free ranger with my RIR to see what happen with the offspring.

 

[Misty Oak Ranch]

I would disagree that a backyard flock breeder couldn't develop a better meat bird. Some of our greatest innovations came from single people who devoted a great deal of time to their projects. Stay focused on what you strive for, and cull heavy and that will lead to success. Research and determination is the key.

 

[gottsegnet]

If your goal is a bird that grows faster than a dual purpose but is hardier and a little more self-sufficient than a Cornish X, I don't think comparing your efforts to what commercial hatcheries are achieving is fair.

They're interested only in one thing: bigger birds in less time.