Good meat breeds for small scale production?

[mixedUPturk]

nice thread OP! Good stuff here ive very much enjoyed the read. I think you have a good grip on your options at this point and im not 20 years into poultry, around 5 actually, so you might ignore me but for whatever its worth ill add my 2 cents.

Before the Cornish X took over the commercial chicken meat market in the middle of the last century (around the 1950's) the main go-to commercial meat birds were the Delaware, New Hampshire, and certain strains of White Rock. Not all White Rock but certain strains were bred for meat production. The light colored feathers made a prettier carcass when plucked because the pin feathers were not as easily seen as there were with a dark feathered bird. Skin color was important for appearances too. Several years back someone posted a copy of an advertisement for Delaware chicks in the 1930's. The claim was that that specific strain of Delaware could reach 4 pounds by 10 weeks. I assume live weight.

After the Cornish X took over, those special strains of Delaware, New Hampshire, and White Rock were no longer bred as meat birds. While they are not a bad choice for a hatchery dual purpose meat bird, after 70 years of not being bred for meat I don't consider them all that different from other hatchery dual purpose birds for meat. Eggs either for that matter.

Im so glad i followed you, u might have a small time stalker in me, your so knowledgeable! I swear im harmless! I just look to find the people with the knowledge thats worth retaining and it seems you have alot of it.

White Bresse is the best hand down as flavor. It is dual breed and will take about 4-5 months to growth. I raised Dorking in the past for couple years, but it take twice as long to get the same weigh. It is also difficult to find good bloodline to add to the block. By the way, the White Bresse also tolerate wet weather condition much better.

i raised Bresse and thoroughly enjoyed them. A flood took out half and raccoons got the remainder(i got one of them and the rest quit coming) but id love to have them again some day. Very gentle, easy going birds. Temperament like that might be worth taking under consideration as you want to keep breeders. You could plan to truck in new blood annually or every two years keeping the genetics from getting too streamlined and the hassle at a minimum. They come in white and breed true to white if thats the only color in your flock but also there are blue, black and splash varieties. They get very large and they grow out fairly quickly. To really produce the "best tasting chicken in the world" French Bresse there are specific requirements to be met. Their birds are free ranged on Acres of clover, males are caponized, and the last week of life is spent in small cages fed milk soaked grain to create a beautiful marbling of fat in the otherwise lean meat. Keeping that proccessing cost low might not seem like a priority now, but theres not that much money in chicken so its also worth taking into consideration for the ability to continue to help as many people as possible through your wonderful programs. Im also a big believer in preserving the diversity of the heritage breeds and breeding them toward the SOP (standard of perfection.) Its easy to cross breed the breeds and much more difficult to maintain a single wonderful breed. it seems like you have the resources so if you devoted yourself to it maybe you could become the top breeder in Canada of any breed of your choosing if you opted for this route.

Your correct you have found a great resource in BYC and no matter what your choice is if you keep seeking advice for how to keep and manage poultry you'll succeed in your venture.

 

[Mosey2003]

I don't know how far Ontario is from where you are, OP, but if you wanted to try standard-bred/heritage/SOP Plymouth Rocks, you've got Steve on your side of the border. I would think he'd be able to send you chicks or eggs come spring. Depending on what he's got going size-wise, you could try both Whites and Columbians, unless your processor is adamant about no black in the feathers whatsoever.
https://www.precisionplymouthrocks.com

 

[Kris5902]

I don't know how far Ontario is from where you are, OP, but if you wanted to try standard-bred/heritage/SOP Plymouth Rocks, you've got Steve on your side of the border. I would think he'd be able to send you chicks or eggs come spring. Depending on what he's got going size-wise, you could try both Whites and Columbians, unless your processor is adamant about no black in the feathers whatsoever.
https://www.precisionplymouthrocks.com

Thanks! I’ll look into them... distance wise think Seattle to Buffalo, so I’d have to get them shipped quite a ways... but there’s breeders here that ship to Toronto so it’s definitely doable!

 

[speedy2020]

Thanks! I’ll look into them... distance wise think Seattle to Buffalo, so I’d have to get them shipped quite a ways... but there’s breeders here that ship to Toronto so it’s definitely doable![/QUOTE

Thanks! I’ll look into them... distance wise think Seattle to Buffalo, so I’d have to get them shipped quite a ways... but there’s breeders here that ship to Toronto so it’s definitely doable!

I have seen the White Bresse available where you are from Craigslist. Just keep an eye on Craigslist or post a wanted ads.

 

[Chickenheadmate]

Do you have any pictures of white breese carcass?

White Bresse is the best hand down as flavor. It is dual breed and will take about 4-5 months to growth. I raised Dorking in the past for couple years, but it take twice as long to get the same weigh. It is also difficult to find good bloodline to add to the block. By the way, the White Bresse also tolerate wet weather condition much better.