Crossing your own meat breed

[KatyTheChickenLady]

not always true. gettting there is problematic for sure, but my sustainable meat birds all have the "double breasted" chest from their CX heritage, they just grow slower 15 weeks to butcher as opposed to 8.
Good luck RB keep everyone posted!

 

[eggbuster]

You get some nice breasts and broad backs from starting with Cx as the base. There are some that are just skawny losers. Sometimes it is simply that they are not competing well for food or just don't thrive or throw back to something from the non-Cx side. Get that from any breeding. That is what the stock pot is for. I have a lot of stock, but it is tasty so no loss. I have not had any inherit the self destruct gene from their parent Cx. That is a real bonus.

I have not eaten the ones that are large breasted as they go back into the breeding program. I won't know how their genes really carry through for another year, but whatever their genetic background is, it is very compatible when combined with just about anything. I am looking for for a sustainable DP bird that is big and can take care of itself without excessive input from the government or needing to be purchased from a hatchery. Cx here come with a paper that must go to the processor with them.

The breeds that were known as being good DP have mostly been ruined by indescrinimate breeding and are no longer up to their original breed type. The genes are still there but the gene pool is getting too small. Time to make a new gene pool in my oppinion, with the best of whats left or spend lots of money feeding lots of chickens in order to get those few that are up to scratch.

The problem is that in the case of Cx, you must be willing to purchase and feed a group of them without special treatment letting them be chickens without coddling them. You must then check them pretty regular to catch the ones who want to die on you and get them into the soup pot ASAP. This gets expensive if you don't catch them in time,the dog eats chicken a lot too, but I am learning to know which body type of Cx has the best chance of going forward, so that helps. The feathers are a good indicator as well. I chose to cross them with chantecler and buckeye because they have some pretty good traits of their own; decent breasts, no combs and cold hardy that I want to continue with.

I want to encourage the OP to try this with her own preferences for crossing with the Cx, as it really has potential. I really don't think you can go wrong if you cross them with any breed that used to have a reputation as a meat bird pre-Cx times.

 

[kfacres]

read my byc page

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Why not run the two flocks that make up the CX. Cornish and White Rocks. If you ran a small flock of Cornish, for good meat and continuation of roosters and a large flock of Rock for meat, eggs and flock continuation then once or twice a year you can set up a breeding pen to have Cornish Roosters over your Rock hens to hatch out your own CX for those 8 to 10 week broilers to pack your freezer.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Why not run the two flocks that make up the CX. Cornish and White Rocks. If you ran a small flock of Cornish, for good meat and continuation of roosters and a large flock of Rock for meat, eggs and flock continuation then once or twice a year you can set up a breeding pen to have Cornish Roosters over your Rock hens to hatch out your own CX for those 8 to 10 week broilers to pack your freezer.

You'd make some nice meat birds with that method, but you wouldn't make CX. The CornishX has been selectively bred for over 50 years. The grandparent stock of the bird has long ago left the look and characteristics of the White Rock and Cornish. The modern bird is a 4 way cross of selective A, B, C, D of grandparent stock.

 

[bkuhlman81]

I had ordered some chicks from the area, and I was hoping to cross the white rock hen and dark cornish rooster. I also got some jersey gaints. I know that this are not going to be the cornishX, but will they make good meat birds in a little more time. I wanted some crosses that can still be birds and maybe free range. What do u guys think??

 

[Arielle]

Here is what I am trying to do.

I want to keep a flock of two or three different breeds to free range around my land and supply us with eggs and meat. I am looking for a breed of hen that lays a fair amount of eggs and when crossed with a (insert breed here) rooster makes a good meat bird. I am going to keep some broody hens for surrogates to raise them. Any thoughts??

HOw amny eggs do you think you will need in a year? If super high production is not important, but moderate production 3-4 eggs a week per hen, then I would suggest go for crossing the two meat types: chantie and buckeye.

THere is also a nice line of NH for meat ( Reese) and good dels ( Kathy imo) .

THe birds from McMurry that I bought were very small decent layers, but NOT much meat to them at all. ( RIR, BSL, SLW, BA, SSH) ANd the BO from Meyers wasn't much of a meal either.

THere are several breeds that are more on the meat end of dual purpose: chantie, buckeyes, buff orpingtons . . . Good quality birds are hard to find-- you need to find a breeder that has kept the line up to par.

 

[big medicine]

Where are you all located ? I have a few extra cockerels, and possibly pullets that might well help you in your quest for a sustainable flock of meat producing cockerels and decent layers. Will try to take some photos today.

 

[big medicine]

Some of the young birds.

 

[ChooksChick]

Where are you all located ? I have a few extra cockerels, and possibly pullets that might well help you in your quest for a sustainable flock of meat producing cockerels and decent layers. Will try to take some photos today.

Howdy!! It's time to start thinking about movement on my Konza project again- have you got a box handy? I'll take a pair off your hands!!