If given the choice....

Actually I also liked this write up as to the various "options" as it were.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Raising-Chickens-For-Meat.aspx

In particular how they talk about the difference in flavor and texture as well as other aspects I have sort of glossed over in my search.

For me the multi-part question is tending to revolve around the fact I eat as much "meat" as eggs. If I keep in mind how many eggs verse how many birds I consume and the time it takes to get the meat it really does tend to bring me back to the backyard version of a CornishX or Free Ranger butchered towards the early side.

One thing that article did mention which I also pondered was in relation to trying to keep "two" types of programs going...meat and eggs and difference in feed and time and maturity. But if you are keeping layers and one goes broody getting some CornishX's to raise seems to be a very good alternative.

Again I have no practical experience. But half a dozen layers (possibly with a rooster) would give me all the eggs I would want and every time one goes broody slip in a bunch of X’s to a foster hen and I have a good supply of meat.

Or have I once again missed something overthinking the other things?

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Some of the hatcheries still provide chicks for commercial, White Rock operations, so their stock is the heavy variety. There are still many WR operations, let's not forget that. A good small breeder can provide great birds as well. If I was going the hatchery order route, I'd pick up the phone and have a chat. You'd know pretty quick whether the information you're being given is just a snow job or is straight talk. If the hatchery hatches tens of thousands of WR for commercial accounts, you can be pretty well assured that these are a strain of solid bodied birds. If the hatcher merely hatches out a few (relatively speaking) for hobbyists and back-yarders, you can also take that to mean their stock isn't likely intended for for your purposes nearly as well.
 

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