How to make my own meat birds?

[Karoo permaculture]

This thread took an interesting turn, something im very interested in.

We moved to a small holding beginning Jan this year, 5 Acres in size, very rural, 80km(50miles) to the nearest town/settlement.

No municipal supplies whatsoever. Own solar system powering everything, water from a borehole and seasonal river.

I believe in a SHTF scenario we will most probably be better off then majority of the people in the big Cities, maybe a bit better then the people in the smaller towns.

I believe different types of scenarios would be treated differently, if we are being bombed into a million pieces like currently happening in the Middle East and Ukraine, then I will most certainly not try and hang on here, will need to assess the situation and decide where im going.

However if the SHTF scenario is that cost of living is shooting through the roof(currently happening as we are dependent on a lot of our consumables from the US and Ukraine), supplies are difficult to get hold of, or the case often in our country is major strikes and riots resulting in widespread supply chain issues.

If there is some sort of civil war I wouldnt want to be in any City.

We certainly cant grow even 30% of our own food at this point in time. So hopefully that scenario is still a while away.

I have started my SHTF flock thread where im planning exactly what is being discussed by some people here, try and maintain a flock that is smaller in build, better foragers that I wont need to try and get all their feed from the stores.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-shtf-flock.1642920/

 

[Molpet]

That’s the likely scenario.

Parents were worried back in the 1960s. I think because of USA race riots back then. So I have lived my life having the invading hordes in the back of my mind.
Crime has risen as the local village population has gone from 1750 in 1960 to 28,300 currently. This is mostly because of interstate RDS. So I am more vulnerable to those hordes, if they ever materialize.

 

[GreenHaven]

When I attempt to think about all that could happen, it gives me a headache.

 

[LaurenRitz]

The "hordes" are unlikely, in my opinion, and certainly the likelihood falls the farther you get from civilization. Most of those in cities are going to stay where they're comfortable, trusting in Daddy JIT (Just in time) to restore normalcy until the water runs out and the electricity fails. By that time they won't be able to walk out, any gas will be used up, grocery stores stripped, etc.

I am basing my survival breed on Jersey Giant, Black Australorp, Buckeye, RIR, and a single Ranger breed. Over time I will select for foraging ability, broodiness, and behavior. Right now I'm just in the mixing stage.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

...and I have a "culling project". Though at this time, the only animals I could certainly feed from my acres are my rabbits. They'd be in competition w/ my goats (which seem half feral / half lazy already). I suspect some portion of the birds from my culling project could go semi-feral, between what's present on the property, and what I've planted in the pasture. But I couldn't mainatin the current, rather modest, flock size. 20? sure. I think that's doable. All the ducks would be gone-ers.

And we have no power that' doesn't come from grid, so we also would have no well. I can count on seasonal rainfall to keep two IBC totes full - but would rather not drink that myself.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

Imagine what the scenario would be like with high prices and shortages if the dock workers had gone ahead with their threat to strike recently. We are not that far from disaster here in the US.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Imagine what the scenario would be like with high prices and shortages if the dock workers had gone ahead with their threat to strike recently. We are not that far from disaster here in the US.

The true minimum wage is $0.

That said, I'm glad the strike is over, even if it means higher prices forever. Boeing blinked, too. Which is crazy, as they can't seem to build a minimally acceptable product - and that's not solely the fault of the engineering team.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

The true minimum wage is $0.

That said, I'm glad the strike is over, even if it means higher prices forever. Boeing blinked, too. Which is crazy, as they can't seem to build a minimally acceptable product - and that's not solely the fault of the engineering team.

Agreed. Their pay increase, which I think is $30 over the course of the next few years, is already more than what I make now. I think Boeing will collapse eventually. But that's neither here nor there.

I remember summertime in 2020 my son finally convinced me that we needed to start a garden and canning as well as keeping a well-stocked pantry. After seeing the rioting that was going on in the major cities I decided it was time. We now have a full size garden and my son (29) is a canning fiend! I've had chickens since 2008, but never hatched any of my own until 2020. I have a completely different outlook on chickens now.

I wonder how things will be a year from now?

This is an interesting thread with some very well thought out responses!

 

[Lovethembuffs]

Cornish Cross were developed in the middle of the previous century. In the 1950's they pretty much took over the commercial chicken meat industry, they were that much more efficient than anything else available. Different companies have developed their own version by selective breeding. Some of the study into them has been genetics but a lot is also how to manage, house, and feed them for greatest efficiency.

The basic model is to have four unique grandparent flocks. Each of these flocks brings certain traits to the final product. Some of these traits pertain to body conformation or how fast they gain weight. Some make the grandparent or parent flocks easier to manage. Some of this is common knowledge, it is hard to keep secrets when so many people are involved. But some of it are well kept trade secrets.

Many of us create our own meat birds. If you figure out how to do it you can greatly improve your birds in a few generations. On a certain level it isn't that hard to improve them. Eat the ones you don't want to breed and breed the ones that you do want to eat. But do not expect to match the Cornish Cross in your backyard.

Good Morning!! I'm still looking for anyone who is raising Standard White Cornish in the Pacific Northwest. I understand there was someone in Washington State possibly in the Yakima area but we seem to have lost contact with her. I have been buying shipped eggs from Texas. Not a good hatch rate at all doing that but so far it's the only ones I've found. I would appreciate any info. Thank you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm still looking for anyone who is raising Standard White Cornish in the Pacific Northwest.

True White Cornish are rare. I am not aware of any major hatcheries in the US that sell them.

I'd call your county extension office and chat with them. They should have all kinds of contacts plus they often work with county fairs that might have a chicken show.

I could not find a major US hatchery that sells Cornish, let alone White Cornish. Hopefully someone else knows of one. Cornish Cross are easy, true Cornish not so much.

The American Poultry Association recognizes White Cornish as a breed and approved color but I could not find a Cornish Club on their website. I don't know how helpful they would be but you might try contacting the APA and ask if they could point you to a possible contact.

I can't dome up with anything else. Good luck!