Crossing your own meat breed

[skookumchuck]

This is my plan as well. I was planning to use the Chanteclers as my base had not considered the Cx as part of this. I have also concidered the Delaware and the Indian River (Delaware Roo New Hampshire hen). I am also looking to have some broodiness in the strain as well. I am more concerned with a good meat carcass with egggs being less important. We free range and the cost to keep a few extra hens is negligble. Great thread intersted to see what everyone comes up with.

 

[mstricer]

What I'm going to try is 2 projects, One is to use a Dark Cornish over barred rocks. Two is RCRIR over Barred rocks, both will yield sex linked babys.

 

[Shellz]

I'm loving this thread! So interesting. I've decided that for us, it's best to keep a separate flock of egg layers. I'm getting 28 chicks of various large breeds including the White Chantecler for eggs. So I'm going to see what the rest of the hatchery flock will do for us meat-wise. I'll be getting buff orpingtons, dark cornish, black australorp, white Plymouth Rock, Columbian Wyandotte & Ameraucanas. I did order buckeyes, but they were out of stock. Since these are hatchery stock, I will have to observe & save the best dark cornish roo and best pullets of each of the other breeds to be bred. I hope these birds will give me a good foundation to work with. If not, there's plan B. I can start with good breeder stock next year, through some good connections on a more local site.

 

[RBOutdoors]

I have a dark Cornish rooster with BO, LB, brown LH, RIR hens. If anyone wants some eggs to try out just send me a PM.

 

[DeepFriedBacon]

My flock will be expanding this summer/fall and I'm liking to do the same goal, and was going with Buckeyes and Cornish, not the cross, but pure cornish. The other group i'd like to consider for breeding to the buck/corns would be a new hampshire red and jersey giant, the goal there being to get a large quicker growwing giant, with a stocky large breasted buckcorn. Of course that'll be years in the making and a helluva lotta work, but what I'm imagining the outcome to be a docile, excellent free ranger that grows fast and large which is sustainable, egg production is just a side bonus and wonnt be considered in the line breeding.

 

[Shellz]

Sounds like a plan, DeepFriedBacon! Yeah, there's already enough challenging variables to worry about, without adding egg laying qualities to the mix. Good luck to ya!

 

[kfacres]

good quality breeder type cornish...

pm for more details...

 

[Tammy N]

Im after a couple of things in my chickens
good boning to support the Meat as well as a strudy frame that wont break under weight.

yet id like one that is capable of egg production that is why i have been sticking with Brahmas . I wanted JG but they where sold out from under me lol .

anyway whats happened to me lately is my brahma boy in with my Mixed flock of RIR , Astrolorps ,barred rock and 2 americanas has a hen gone broody so what to do i put her eggs in the bator and some brahmas as well and put brahma eggs i wanted to hatch under her as id rather have hens that will set there own eggs especially when i am working on a line ,

what i see in the brahma and the JG is good boning that supports the meat good body type and fair breast not sure what i am gonna see in the Brahma X Whose in the egg coop but i am going to post here is that is ok because i may eat the cockerals and leave the hens to lay , im culling hens for brahmas in there and slowly getting out of the Other types .

crossing fingers to have some nice chicks and maybe later for my extra roo he will have some girls otu of my good roo and good hens as he is nice and i want him to enjoy his stay here LOL

Im in the learning for the brahmas and pretty much not wanting to loose out on the second roo, I am hoping to get a good strain for meat egg and show is third but im in love with them .
i hope you can give me some advise for the Crosses though . not sure what i am doing there it just happened and i could not kill even a chick starting its life in the egg

 

[Shellz]

You could end up with a happy accident, Tammy! Here's hoping for a good mix of qualities. I would keep an eye on those chicks that don't seem to forage as well, (cull lazy ones - don't breed them) due to the brahma genetics. I'm just guessing here that brahmas go through feed more than they forage. But I think you have the right idea of creating a good solid frame with that breed. I'm just thinking out loud here.....no expert, by any means!

 

[Tammy N]

You could end up with a happy accident, Tammy! Here's hoping for a good mix of qualities. I would keep an eye on those chicks that don't seem to forage as well, (cull lazy ones - don't breed them) due to the Brahma genetics. I'm just guessing here that Brahmas go through feed more than they forage. But I think you have the right idea of creating a good solid frame with that breed. I'm just thinking out loud here.....no expert, by any means!

Much appreciated so far they would rather go eat grass and bugs leaving the feed far behind ,
but that is OK by me i never mowed the Back yard anyway LOL .