Dark Cornish for meat?

[greyfields]

I think the chunkiest birds I've gotten which were not broilers were Black Sex Links. You may want to go that route thinking about it more.

Or, take the extra birds as hens, then sell the eggs to buy yourself some Red Bro broilers each year.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
They don't HAVE any pullets available, of ANY breed! (Well, I didn't check the bantams.) Frustrating!

 

[Omniskies]

I've been impressed with how quickly Plymouth Rock (the barred and white, mostly) and Orpingtons bulk up. You don't want Jersey Giants for meat birds. They start off huge and grow -very- slowly. The Black Jerseys we had were in a turtle race with our standard Cochins to see who would actually feather out first. They're both a couple months old and are still keeping pace.

If you can get some White Rock roosters that's going to be your best bet.

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
I'll check tomorrow and see if they have those available. I swear, I'd pay 'em the ten bucks or whatever to NOT put anything else in the box.

 

[skeeter]

why not go with the cornish cross?just dont let them gorge themselves and let them free range and they will be fine.IMO

 

[Mahonri]

I love entertaining threads that make me laugh out loud.

God bless your husband.

I go with male White Rocks... They grow fast and dress out nicely.

 

[silkiechicken]

I've got some free ranging cornish x's at the moment. 10 weeks old and about 3 weeks behind schedule, since they are like only 5-6 lbs. They HAD their own coop where they could gorge themselves fat so I could eat them, but no, when I let them out, they decided to team up with the 13 week old leghorns from a different tractor and submit themselves to being pecked on and abused by the layers by sleeping in the layer coop by choice instead of their own. :rolleyes

They really aren't that bad when they force themselves to be on a diet and try to do everything their leghorn role models do... boy it is funny to see them try to "panic" and fly over fences but hit like a rock 2 inches from where they started instead.


Good luck with your dual purpose birds. Nothing wrong with eating a scrawny bird, it's more native form is actually desired in some cultures.

 

[lauralou]

Bless your husband's heart! What a great guy. He is really trying to please you... This is exactly why I hate surprises!

 

[ninjapoodles]

OK, they DID have White Rocks, so we're getting THOSE cockerels in our June 30 order. Of course, now the hatchery thinks we're mental...which is not exactly inaccurate.

The July 7 order is much simpler, and much more what I would've wanted in the first place (although I really planned on trying to find an individual breeder next time instead of buying from the hatchery): 25 Buff Orpington pullets. Nice and simple!