differences Cobb Vantress or the Hubbard cornish cross?

[maf2008]

What are your experiences with the different breeds? Ideal sells the Hubbard strain and McMurray's sells the Cobb Vantress.
So far I like the Cobb Vantress... ( different looking, fealther eariler and less "flipping" and grows faster...)

Are there any differences if final weights?

What does Central Hatchery sell? who has the BEST Cornish Strain of all and Why?

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Central has the ross 508's as do most hatcheries. I used the 508's and wasn't pleased at all with them. They say they don't vary but they do, I'm not sure of the best strain but do know they breed for certain traits. Some have very large breast meat, some are designed for leg meat... it's goes as far as some are roaster strains... some are cornish game hen strains... and some fryer strains. Making some more likely to flip than others.

For instance if you get a game hen or fryer strain and you raise them for roasters you will get a lot of them that will flip...

However I still say get them from the closest hatchery near you or look for the cheapest.

 

[maf2008]

Let me know which chicks from which hatchery that you like best? welp? central? Mcmurrays or Ideal. where do you order you seem to have good luck thanks

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[Brunty_Farms]

Honestly, I really liked McMurrays the best. BUT, they are so expensive that I just can't justify the cost. Never tried Ideal....

Welps are great, Meyers were good, Moyers are good too.....

The best I ever had came straight from a Hubbard Hatchery, I would order a few thousand at a time and then divi them up between a few people. Plus.... they were all males which was an added bonus for me.

 

[maf2008]

Yep,

I think my best batch was from Mc Murrays, very few losses, and that was even in the heat of the summoer 30 days straight of 100 plus temp... I got the "cornish roaster" a slower breed... they still made it to 12 lbs in 12 weeks! I have a lot more losses and flipping on the Ideal "hubbard" strain (but everything else there is great)

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[cjbuchholz]

Personally I like the Cobb 500 strain. Jenk's hatchery has them out of Tangent, Oregon. The Cobb's do well in an indoor environment. I've heard they're not the best on the no corn/no soy feed, though. For that, I hear the Hubbard starin of cornish cross does marginally better. I raise the Cobb 500's indoors in a large pen. I've found the trick is to keep their pen very clean. I usually run about 25 in a 12x15ft area. Even have a roost about 5 inches off the ground for when they are younger. Mix cracked corn, whole wheat and layer pellets in with the broiler feed at about 3 to 4 weeks of age. Still butcher at 8 weeks and get most birds about 5.25 lbs. A few 6.5 pounds. At 7 weeks they come in about 4.25 to 5 lbs. The Cobb's have a shorter keel than the Hubbards. Out of a batch of 25, I might lose 1 as a chick or at about 6 weeks. I've tried the Murray McMurray birds in the same environment and they did well. Just a little too expensive and the shorter keels on the Cobb's bag nicely. They do fool you on weight, though, weighing heavier than they appear.