Has anyone kept and bred their Freedom Rangers?

[Cowgirl71]

I'm thinking about breeding my own Freedom Rangers for grass-fed meat birds. I'd really like a meat bird that I can breed and hatch myself. Has anyone here done it? Thank you!

 

[ChickenPotPie]

It is unknown to us what cross the Freedom Rangers are. It would be nice to know, though, huh?

I grew out a straight run group of FRs, a Dark Cornish pullet (because I couldn't find White), and a "Fast Growing White" pullet. I let them mature and selected the fasted growing, meatiest FR hens, and the "Fast Growing White" to keep with a heritage RIR roo. I'd really like to see what they can do. Since we pretty much have an over abundance of meat here (DP chickens, unwanted cockerels, rabbit, turkey, goat, (and beef if we wanted it) it's really just for fun and curiosity. I didn't bother keeping the Dark Cornish because the growth rate and size of that bird is a joke.

If the FR hen x RIR roo or the FGW hen x RIR roo crosses produce anything interesting, I'll post about it.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I have the same idea. I know that they don't breed "true"... but who cares! I'd like to see what comes of them, so I am going to start on that project after my cornish are done.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
When you say grass-fed what do you mean by that?

 

[speedy2020]

Quote:
What type of chicken is Fast Growing White?

 

[Tropical Chook]

Quote:
When you say grass-fed what do you mean by that?

Just left out to pasture

I know say it can't be done, but my own flock tell a very different story, because that how they have all been raised.

 

[ChickenPotPie]

Quote:
What type of chicken is Fast Growing White?

I have no idea.

I can only assume it's one of those Cornish X concoctions but this single specimen did not have leg problems (I may just be lucky). She was two wks older than my FRs but the FRs passed her up in grow out in only a week. She was not as big as them come 10 wks. She's still not *quite* as big now that she's full grown but I can feel she has a meatier breast and a really like her type (body shape).

I'm guessing that the FR hen x RIR roo will make an DP that is meatier than a RIR with decreased egg production but faster growth rate, which would be very nice result for a bird that I can produce myself throughout the year.

I suspect the "FGW" will give me about the same results but with a slightly meatier breast and will hopefully be a pretty bird.