I want to hatch my own meat bird. What rooster and hen to use?

[Shellz]

Yes! I loved having my dog on a raw diet. Smaller stools because they absorb so much nutrition from the meat & their teeth stay clean from chewing the raw bones. Coats are shiny too. No diet better IMO. My source is too far now that we've moved. I'm waiting to get ready for goats, then I'll have more variety for my dogs to eat.

About chickens: hatchery birds don't come close to the proper standard weights of their respective breeds. I've got 28 hatchery birds that I will not be breeding & most will be culled in the fall. I have found what I think is the perfect homestead DP bird. The Belgian Malines. Roosters weigh from 9-11 lbs. hens 8.8 lbs. I visited the breeder 2 weeks ago & one rooster is 13 lbs of healthy studliness! It's a very rare breed, being bred by a handful of hobbyists & one master breeder mentoring us. He brought them straight from his former home in Holland. The fat is distributed throughout the muscles not just found in pockets, like in most other birds. The hens lay eggs right through winter too. I've got 18 jumbo eggs in the bator now, due to hatch June 30. This is one exciting project!

 

[Joanmcm]

The Belgian Malines sounds very interesting! Please share info and pictures when you have them. As we are just starting to raise chickens ourselves, I have my hatchery birds to learn on but am interested in what the experts have going on.

The interesting thing is that all the Partridge Rocks from the two hatchery deliveries did not make it. RIRs, barred rocks and cornish Xs were fine. And one mystery chick which I think is some kind of RIR cross. So far the other chicks are doing great, and their customer service was really wonderful, but I won't buy Partridge Rocks from them again. Too much of a coincidence. The Partridge's died before delivery or within 24 hours. The last one could never 'right' itself. I held it to feed it. It would flip on its back like a turtle and not be able to get up. It would fall in the food.

 

[Shellz]

Sorry about your Partridge Rocks. That's awful! Yeah, trying out hatchery birds when you start out is good. It gives you a comparison for later. I had no idea there were good breeders around me until I joined a provincial chicken forum. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have bought these chicks. Is ok, there's enough room in the freezer.

I have high hopes for the Malines! I'm hoping to help bring this breed back to being popular. They are sustainable as well, so you can breed them naturally. The master breeder has been having 100% fertility rates from his last 2 hatches. Perhaps once chicks hatch, I'll start a new thread where those interested can follow along. I guess the best forum for this would be under Breeds,..

 

[Our Roost]

Maybe it is the hatchery and location you are purchasing them from. Unlike you, I am very pleased with the 5 hatchery breeds we purchased. The list included 5 buff orps, 5 jersey giants, 5 barred rocks, 5 silver laced wyandottes, and 5 black sex links. Of these 25, 3 were show quality and won ribbons. Townline Hatchery out of zeeland Michigan has been around since the great depression era and prides itself and its business reputation on good quality birds. I will use a few of these birds to hopefully produce better a stock of orps and rocks. And yes you are right, some didn't make weight as the brochure suggests. Even stock from breeders isn't 100% guaranteed especially if you are buying eggs to hatch. some hatch and some don't. I have currently purchased blue orps and blue laced red wyandottes! Excited to replace some old stock with some new.

 

[Shellz]

I think you're right! It's a hit or miss game with mine. At the closest hatchery where I go pick up my chicks, there are breeding pens there. I will tell you, those are his really good birds. I got some SG Dorkings from him that looked nothing like the beauties he was raising! Oh well, its good to know not all hatcheries are created equal. Good luck with your birds Our Roost!

 

[Bill Matthews]

To jloftinthe60......A bunch of people say that a Heritage Standard Weight crossed with large type New Hampshires make an ideal dual purpose meat bird..Luck

 

[Our Roost]

Okay shellz! I just looked up Belgian Malines and read some very good information on their history and background. This breed sounds to me like the perfect dinner table meat bird and one to raise and save from extinction. Why for heavens sake has this bird become so rare? Has the original breed become victim to extensive cross breeding as its history suggests? Are the birds you talk about the real deal or are they a mix of other strains? You've got me hooked and very interested.

 

[Bill Matthews]

To jesirose and Our Roost:... Touchy subject with chicken lovers..You could level the ethical playing field by sometimes feeding one of the dogs to the chickens....... Or even letting the chickens watch a human enjoy a fat roasted puppy.....Umm Good!.....My comment was totally tasteless....Let everyone do as their conscience dictates...

 

[Shellz]

I know, right?! The breeder came from Holland to Ontario, Canada in 2006 to raise & breed these magnificent birds. These birds will breed true, and his stock has excellent fertility! It's nearest competitor (IMO), the Mistral Gris, is so large it cannot breed effectively. A big minus in my book for not being self sustainable. It would cost a small fortune right now for anyone considering having Malines hatching eggs shipped to the U.S. (was brought up on another thread. $50 for a dozen eggs, but $350 more for the gov't red tape!) My hope is that we can garner an increased awareness & demand for this bird. There's only a handful of folks right now in Ontario raising these birds. I'm not aware who all these folks are, but a few are small scale right now. One started with a trio last year & me with my 18 eggs. I will be in contact with my mentor for further breeding advice. My first priority is to keep this breed pure.

Listen to me, I don't even have chicks on the ground & I haven't even tasted one of these birds yet! Everything I've read sounds promising.
Think I'll start a thread in this forum (Meat Birds ETC) when the chicks hatch out. I was getting some nay-sayers on another one. It's a dead end, no SOP for this bird,...Don't care, as long as I can produce a fast feathering, healthy, delicious big meat bird that can reproduce & lay thru winter. Isn't that what everyone wants?

 

[Joanmcm]

Let me know more about the Maines. They do sound interesting. How are they in cold weather? We live near the (NY/Mass/CT) border in the snow belt.