I want a good meat bird that can reproduce and forage...

[chickboss]

Does it even exist? LOL. Any ideas for breeds to try would be helpful. Doing reasearch now for possible summer project. Thanks

 

[Illia]

Heritage breeds - Sure you wait longer, but it's worth it. Try Brahmas. Dorkings, good quality Orpingtons, good quality Rhode Island Reds, etc.

- They're excellent foragers have normal chicken lives, and sure it takes months to get their meat - But I'd rather wait for a healthy bird than cull a bird because it needs it.

 

[bibliophile birds]

Freedom Rangers are a great choice if you don't want to wait for heritage breeds to fill out. they are what is used in France for the Label Rouge chickens. cornish X are processed around 60 days whereas Freedom Rangers suggested processing age is 80-100 days. most heritage breeds are going to be a good size at 120-150 days.

i've not had any yet, but when i get around to doing a large batch of meaties, that's what i'm getting. so far, i just process my extra heritage cockerels. they've been very tasty but they do take a LONG time to fill out and that's a LOT of feed...

eta: someone is doing a grow-out journal for freedom rangers here if you are interested.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I agree about the heritage breeds. you can add Delaware's and Buckeye's to that list. I haven't tried the Freedom Rangers yet either, but those should be good too if you don't want to wait for the heritage to grow out.

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
Not being argumentative here, but what is often forgotten, left off or just plan ignored in this particular equation is that while the heritage breeds take longer to fill out they do not eat as much in any given day as does a cornish cross. If they can have access to ample forage they can get a much larger portion of their diet -- as a percentage -- from the earth not a feed store bag, which is, again if you give them the proper access, actually a feed savings. Forage is "free".

 

[mike67909]

I am all about the freedom rangers now. They are the only meat bird I will raise.

 

[bibliophile birds]

Quote:
oh i completely agree. i won't have cornish x on my farm. those frankenbirds freak me out and they do nothing but eat and poop, A LOT. but the Freedom Rangers supposedly don't have that kind of problem.... again, i've not raised them so i can't say for sure.

 

[Shifty Joe]

Look at the Freedom Ranger, not seeing any information regarding what makes this bird better than a heritage. Any good like regarding the breeding and dress out weights?

 

[bibliophile birds]

Quote:
JM Hatchery, who sells them, claims an average 5-6 lb live weight bird in 9-11 weeks. they reproduce naturally if left to it and they don't HAVE to be slaughtered at 9 weeks because of health problems like the cornish x (so you could feasibly keep some for breeding).

 

[Skcup]

I'd love to try raising these birds, does anyone know of a supplier of the Freedom Rangers in western Canada? I can't seem to find anything via google.