In search of the best meat chickens

[Chickenheadmate]

About how heavy do they get at 3 months?

If sustainability equates to simplicity and you dont want to muck around with having 2 different breeds to get to what you want, the heritage large fowl white cornish is the way to go. I am admittedly prejudiced in my opinion.

These are birds bred to be meat birds and not to be confused with dual purpose that do neither well, below average egg layers, slower grower, very tasty. When it comes to a meat bird these are the supreme meat birds of yesterday. View attachment 1959047 View attachment 1959049 View attachment 1959053

 

[Fairview01]

About how heavy do they get at 3 months?

It truely depends what you feed them. If you feed commericially prepared feed with around 20% plant protein with added synthetic essential amino acids they will not flourish.

If they are fed animal sourced protein >25% they won't disappoint you. I've never weighed them . My culls are stock that do not make the cut to be included in my show string. A 3 month old cornish will feed 2 people generously, 4 if they're skinny people.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I have been working with Delaware this boy is crossed with a white Plymouth rock(I think, he was a gift at 6 months old and the last thought he was a leghorn) we call him big boy, he weighted in at 5 pounds at 12 weeks...

2 of his boys. They are still young but looking good....

I also have a Big white Necked neck from the same unknown white rooster

here is blue foot... he didn't grow as fast but is almost as big as big boy....
This next year I plan to continue working with my Delaware as well as the necked necks and white Plymouth rocks...
I think the point is pick a breed you like and keep working with the best ones each year.
I do still have some of the bresse I got last Nov. They didn't grow super fast but at 9 months one of the roosters was good. I still have them in a breeding pen waiting to hatch eggs, after they are done molting....

 

[Chickrus]

Have you considered the Breese chicken. What I've read about them they mature early, have meatier legs and breast, lay lot of eggs and taste great. The only bad thing I've read was there is only 1 bloodline in the USA witch isn't good for long time breading with the lack of diversity. Here's a link https://www.bressefarms.com/store/p108/White_Bresse_Chicks_.html