The problem with using hatchery breeds for meat is that they quit breeding them for meat many decades ago when the Cornish X were developed. That was around the 1950’s. If you don’t breed them for meat production they quickly lose the traits for meat production; size, rate of growth, rate of converting feed to meat, conformation so you get more of specific cuts, things like that. Delaware, White Rock, and New Hampshire were all used as meat birds before the broilers were developed, a good Delaware could reach 4 pounds at ten weeks, but hatcheries haven’t seen that for over 50 years. Nowadays those breeds are not much different than any other dual purpose chicken. You might fine an individual breeding them for those meat qualities but good luck on that and you probably would not want to spend as much as they would ask if you could even find them.
Brahmas are pretty slow to mature. They will eventually get big but for a long time they are mostly bone, not meat. Some people like them as meat birds because of the final size, but I would not want to spend that much feeding them to get them to a good size.
You can eat any chicken regardless of size, sex, or age, but you don’t get much meat off of some and you may have to vary your cooking techniques because of the age.
Each hatchery has different people deciding which birds get to go into the breeding flock. That means each hatchery has different birds with different traits. Some people think that all chickens of a specific breed are the same from all hatcheries, but that is not true. I’ve had the same breeds from different hatcheries and there are differences.
I don’t know if you plan on breeding your own. I think you are but if you are just going to get chickens from a hatchery and raise them to butcher size, I suggest you get a mix of dual purpose breeds and see which you like better. Then just order that breed from that hatchery in the future. Delaware, White Rock, and New Hampshire would all be on my list to check out.
If you are planning on breeding your own, I suggest you still get a mix of breeds and see which you like better. Then each year select the rooster you want to eat most to be your breeding rooster and eat the ones you don’t especially want to eat. It takes some record-keeping and you have to pay attention to them as they grow, but in a very few generations of doing this your flock should come closer to meeting your standards. You will never come close to meeting the size and rate of growth of the Cornish X but you can do OK.
