Heritage vs Meat Bird Cross

[jgervais]

Thanks to everyone for all the info here on Back Yard Chickens and the new info Ive received on the Dorking breed.
Heres my amateur take on Meat Birds vs Heritage breeds like the Dorking.
http://simplelifeainteasy.blogspot.com/2011/06/heritage-or-meat-bird-cross.html

I know many of you raise the Cornish X's so any input would be valuable.
Thanks!

 

[FeatheredObsessions]

Lots of great information! This subject alwasy interests me

 

[jgervais]

I guess aside from the economic standpoint - I appreciate the idea of raising an endangered 'heritage' bird. It keeps the breed alive, it generates interest in the bird and it breaks from the industrial farming standard. I see there is not a lot of profit in raising these birds, but there (In my opinion) is something not quite natural about a bird that breaks its own legs and suffers from heart problems due to its own weight gain. I appreciate that many backyard farmers raise these X's on pasture and feed without antibiotics and it is clearly a much better choice than from the supermarket. However, on such a small scale for personal and family use only, I would really like to support raising a heritage breed.

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Hello

I absolutely love my Dorkings. I only have a mini flock at the moment of 3 pullets and 2 cockerels but come spring there will be a population explosion here.

I chose Dorkings because I wanted to preserve a rare breed first and foremost. It had to lay a good number of eggs, go broody and raise it's own young (I had no incubator at the time and didn't expect to get one) forage well and it had to produce decent sized cockerels for the table. Dorkings have the enviable reputation of being the best tasting breed.

As you said in your blog laying white eggs is a great bonus so I can keep other hens laying brown, blue and green eggs and have no trouble telling which ones I need to incubate.

Cornish x are not easily obtainable where I am and are expensive. I also would rather go and process one roo for Sunday dinner than have to do a whole batch at once as I would with Cornish x. Brooding the minimum order of 25 Cornish x would be an issue too. Currently I brood chicks in my spare room, from everything I've read I would NOT want them in the house!

There is a Dorking thread here B.Y.C. Dorking Club! with lots of great info and friendly people who can help you get started with Dorkings.

 

[jgervais]

Quote:
Thanks for the encouragement! This is exactly what I needed to hear. I think I will be getting my Dorking chicks next week!!! Ill start with 10, some will end up dinner and some will be a permanent feature on our mini farm to breed for next year. Pretty excited!
What colors do you prefer?

 

[speedy2020]

Have anyone do a taste test between dorking and black copper marans?

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
No, but a cross between a FR and a Marans is mighty tasty.

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Quote:
Whoops! Missed your reply.

I have Silver Grey which are lovely. I like reds too. Dorkings are extremely rare here and I'd never even seen any till I bought mine. Some of the colors you have over there are extinct here which is very sad.

I'd love coloreds but I believe those are gone, darks and cuckoos too. We have whites but very few. When I have some more pens built I'm hoping to track down the rarest colors because they are in grave danger of disappearing completely. Just a few pens here and there could make the difference between them surviving or fading into history.

You'll have to post pics of your new chicks on the Dorking thread, everyone loves chick pics!

 

[jgervais]

I'm hoping they arrive this week! Hatch date is anticipated as the 29th - stay tuned!!! I'm excited to see what colors I get!