First year doing meat birds

[Skcup]

I want to do meat birds this year but I'm psychologically allergic to the typical meat Cornish Crosses that are painfully stupid and dreadfully large. My feed store can order "broilers" or Cornish crosses - what do you think would be the difference between these two types? Also, one website that will ship to me (BC, Canada) has "Cornish pullets" available and says that they have fewer leg/respiratory problems than the regular meat birds.

Ideas?

The birds will be in a horse stall for the first few weeks and then moved to an outdoor pen with a shed. They'll have lots of roaming space. I'd like to do about 40 birds.

Thanks in advance for expertise - I'm very excited to be doing this!

 

[jaku]

I never thought of them as stupid- if anything, they're pretty "smart," if that could be said about a chicken. At least, they always come out of the box and immediately know what to do with the food and water, which I can't say for some of my other birds. As for the large part, that's why most people like them! As for the types, you'd have to be more specific- a Cornish Cross IS a broiler, but there are several other types as well. A Cornish pullet is probably just a standard Cornish, which is a layer, not a broiler. Many people order them as meaties, but just because it says "Cornish" in the title doesn't mean they are any more meaty than any other layer. I butchered a batch of them last year for someone, and I remember thinking that I would have been disappointed if I were eating them- too small for me. You should try Cornish X's- I've raised a ton of them, and never had a single one with a respiratory problem, and only a few (maybe two per batch of 75) with any leg problems. They don't deserve the bad reputation they get. If you're trying to be self sufficient, that's another thing, but if you're just looking to do a batch of birds for meat, getting something other than broilers will just leave you with less meat, longer grow out time, and more spent on feed.

 

[crysmom]

have you checked out rochester hatchery? I've ordered direct from them twice now and had great service, they have both a "broiler" and a cornish cross says the cornish cross takes 3 weeks longer to finish and some finish underweight I'm going to go with the broiler this year hope the poop isn't overwhelming I'm going to do them in a salatin style tractor

 

[Illia]

I don't see why people are so afraid to use heritage meat breeds. . . I'm certainly patient enough to wait a longer time for a healthier bird.

We're starting on meat birds next year, but are doing either Araucanas or Marans. (since we have them already, and Marans have amazing breast meat and carcass size) My suggestion to other people though are breeds like Brahmas, Cornish Game (very different from Cornish X) Dorkings, or even Orpingtons (NOT from a hatchery though, as hatchery quality anythings are much smaller and have very little meat)

 

[jaku]

Quote:
I think the issue for me is the amount of meat. The heritage breeds will NEVER get the meat a Cornish X will get in 8 weeks, and it really isn't tough keeping them healthy. Chickens are a lot of work, and I really like the ability to be done with it all in two months!

 

[blueskylen]

i like the cornish x and find them to be as smart as the heritage birds. i can put my hand down in amongst the 60 i have now, and some of them run up to get their bellys rubbed - my hens won't do that.

I also like the fact that they are ready to process in 8 weeks. But the biggest part for me is that they are bred specifically to be what they are - a fast growing meaty chicken that doesn't have a long life expectancy. i would have a problem with raising a chicken that would have a long life for meat, such as a heritage breed. that's just me tho, and if i was a real farmer probably wouldnt be that way and would want a dual purpose bird.

 

[Skcup]

Thanks for all of the info - I think I will try the Cronish Xs this year and see what happens - establish a baseline! I'll admit though, I have memories of them from my childhood as horrid, sad creatures who could barely walk around. It made me a little ill to think of them but I wonder if this was as a result of poor management or waiting too long to butcher?

I would love to do a heritage breed (because I'm just a backyard food grower and am not really trying to make/save too much money) but I'm going away for an extended period in October and I do NOT want to saddle my farm sitter with a bunch of chickens

AND if they were nicer looking birds, I'd want to keep all the hens for my egg flock!

Thanks for the information!

 

[little_grey_bantam]

I don't blame you. When we got two of them last year, I felt so bad for them.

They weren't stupid, just bred to do what they were suppose to do.
By week 7, I was ready to dispatch 'em.

I tried to let my two boys out... WOWIE. They just ran... in the same spot and dug themselves a hole LOL
Still, I was glad I tried them, LOTS OF MEAT!

And I'm grateful for raising them for meat!