Home-grown Meatbird ideas.....

[SamG347]

I was just sitting around today thinking about what two birds would I think of crossing to maybe create a good MEAT BIRD. I know the first cross probably wouldnt give me a winner but these are all the different crosses I wouldnt mind expirementing with in the future.

Chickens:

Easter Egger x Sexlink
Dark Cornish x Sexlink
Delaware x Dark Cornish
Orpington x Sexlink
Orpington x Brahma


Ducks:

Silver Appleyard x Pekin
Muscovy x Pekin


Turkey:

White Holland x Standard Bronze


Geese:

White Embden x Chinese

 

[hwerner]

From personal experience, the easter egger and sex link is not a bad table bird. Real juicy after being cooked as a whole bird on the grill for a little over an hour. We have cross bred boys all over the place, and we raise them for dinner. I haven't had the pleasure of the others you listed, but the barred rock/RIR cross isn't a bad dinner either.

 

[greyfields]

For chickens, use the Dark Cornish sire. The best reults I've ever had were Dark Cornish X Black Sex Link and Freedom Ranger. But, they are still a far cry from custom day old broiler chicks you can get.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=64055

 

[SamG347]

So it is possible to breed using the Freedom rangers from JM?
Thanks grey!

 

[SamG347]

I also forgot about...

Buff Cornish
White Laced Red Cornish

I will have to think of crosses for those too. Im thinking...

Cornish x Sexlink
Cornish x Delware

Will be the better birds. Possibly even the Brahma. Im not expecting AMAZING birds but I really enjoy making something out of nothing!

 

[greyfields]

Your homegrown crossbreeds will grow far better than any purebred will for meat. I do it, I eat them. But I don't sell them. The body shape just isn't quite right.

 

[Jenlyn9483]

im going to try white leghorn, white rocks adn white leghorn/ white cornish. Maybe some white leghorn pullets to WLR cornish bantam for small meat birds to eat as cornish type hens. The other day I butchered two 16 week old pullets, one barred rock and one Black sexlink. They were no where near as broad breasted as I would like. I think they would have done best as whole birds. I skinned them and cut them into serving peices and put the legs, wings, and thighs in chicken and rice. I can wait til my cornish X rocks get of age. I want some big breast, these heavy breeds take forever to mature! best as eggers for sure. My Americauna's seem way to slender to be a good meat bird at 18 weeks now but they do get big, just takes a while.

 

[SamG347]

I think I will stick with the following crosses....

Chicken:

Cornish x Deleware
Cornish x Sexlink
Cornish x Rock
Cornish x Brahma
Cornish x Orpington


Ducks:

Muscovy x Pekin
Rouen x Pekin

Turkey:

White Holland x Bourbon Red

Geese:

White Embden x Tolouse


Those will all be crosses I plan to tinker with in the future.

 

[imprimis]

How about

Cornish X Dorkings?

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Hmmm... how about:

Cornish x broadbreasted turkey. Lol sorry couldn't resist one lil joke.