Freedom Ranger Vs. Heritage Breeds

[KoopOnTruckin]

Also, do you breed the second generation back to the Dels, or back to the Crosses?

 

[GreatBreeder]

Crosses

 

[KoopOnTruckin]

Here's my thought on that: I have White Rocks, Dels, and White Cornish. So if I mix a White Cornish over White Rock, then that best roo over Del, I should get something similar, correct? I know that oversimplifies it a bit, but would that be heading in the right direction?

To be honest, I don't care about the length of time it takes for them to mature, as long as it's before they mature and the meat toughens. I do care about the cost of feed, as I want a good return on my investment, time and energy excluded.

 

[GreatBreeder]

Well first you'd need to get the proper Cornish Cross. It's not as simple as White Cornish over White Rock. It's a four way cross with White Cornish over Delaware x White Cornish over White Rock, but I'm not sure about the rest. So it's best to just buy Cornish Cross. But if you want to try go ahead. So the Corndel is 25% Delaware, 75% Cornish Cross. I assume that means Delaware rooster over Cornish Rock hen x Cornish Rock hen. I'm not sure what the percentages equal to but that sounds about right. Here's Timothy Shell's article.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/sfc-dynamic-content/uploadfiles/1297/Raising Your Own Meat Flock.doc

 

[JRNash]

I am not going to touch this one. I have heritage breeds with limited experience using more production oriented breeds. Once feed brought into the equation, production breeds can kick butt. The problem is how complete your investment is. If you skimp, some of the heritage breeds might do better. Might.

Tomorrow I will take pictures of two barred rock cockrels. Both are the same age same source. The difference is one has received 24% protein the other 18% the diffrence in size and feathering is nothing short of amazing. Point being that heritage breeds also benefit from quality feed.

 

[KoopOnTruckin]

Well first you'd need to get the proper Cornish Cross. It's not as simple as White Cornish over White Rock. It's a four way cross with White Cornish over Delaware x White Cornish over White Rock, but I'm not sure about the rest. So it's best to just buy Cornish Cross. But if you want to try go ahead. So the Corndel is 25% Delaware, 75% Cornish Cross. I assume that means Delaware rooster over Cornish Rock hen x Cornish Rock hen. I'm not sure what the percentages equal to but that sounds about right. Here's Timothy Shell's article.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/sfc-dynamic-content/uploadfiles/1297/Raising Your Own Meat Flock.doc

Wow, that is a very interesting read! And definitive as you can get - it's the exact recipe on how they are made! I think this is going to be my side project... I've been thinking about getting rid of the White Rocks, 3 true breeds is a bit too much to keep track of. But having Delawares makes this an easy addition as a side project - if all goes well, this could be the ultimate meat bird for my homestead!

Thank you for bringing this to my attention!

 

[GreatBreeder]

We've ressurected the Corndel.

 

[JRNash]

A worthy project

 

[GreatBreeder]

Yes

 

[Dave C]

Freedom Rangers include a variety of hubbard crosses based on Redbro Females x Coloryeild Yellow/ Redbro/ Tricolor Males. (I got that from joel Martin). We all know these were label rouge crosses for people unsatisfied with Cornish Crosses. We've seen tons of comparisons with them and Cornish Cross. Never with heritage breeds.

To my knowledge Bresse and White Cornish are superior, they get bigger, they're heritage, and lay vastly better. They're widely unavalible, but more people should start breeding them just like freedom rangers have become widely avalible.

I'd like any input you all have on freedom Rangers and heritage breeds, no Cornish Cross though.

From my experience with Sasso (Label Rouge imports from France) I have to disagree with you.
I have the utmost respect for anyone breeding heritage breeds, trying to improve there stock, making it accessible to others and taking excess for the table.
But if they were better than the broiler hybrid types the later just wouldn't exist.

My Sasso's are now a second generation breeding flock, the Roosters are 2kg dressed weight at 14 weeks with a large meat yield, the Pullets are laying machines, they start laying at 18 weeks, lay huge eggs and keep going right through the winter.
No heritage breed can touch that.
They also make a very good addition when crossed with heritage breeds.
There only down side is they only last a year then begin to deteriorate, but you breed new stock and when they start laying, cull last years birds out.

But I'm no anti heritage breeder, I love my Cornish and Marans and ex breeder of La Bresse and like to think I have quality stock, but they can't get anywhere near the Sasso's.

But it won't stop me breeding the heritage.