Meat and Eggs Kind of Girl!

[WellDunnFarms]

So, I recently got a few random mixed breed chicks for eggs , but am now wanting to get some fast
Growing meat birds , So my question is. What's the fastest growing quality meat bird , and are they any that are good to keep for eggs as well as meat?

 

[phalenbeck]

CornishX grow out in 6-8 weeks and nothing will cheaper because they are faster growing. I raise Langshons that are good layers, and nice birds, but it is 4-6 months to eating size. You can look up and heritage breeds, and get any one of them, but be aware your cost of of meat will be higher. I am slowly getting a full flock of Langshons, eating the surplus, and by next year should be hatching my goal 50-60 surplus birds for food. This will increase my cost over raising 50-60 CornishX for meat.

 

[Triple Willow]

So, I recently got a few random mixed breed chicks for eggs , but am now wanting to get some fast
Growing meat birds , So my question is. What's the fastest growing quality meat bird , and are they any that are good to keep for eggs as well as meat?

If you try to grow any of them too fast you will end up losing several to things like heart attacks, septicemia, air saculitis, ascites, leg problems, etc.

 

[Elke Beck]

You have a few choices to make. If you want really good egg layers, then they probably will be slow growing, light weight meat birds that will cost a lot to produce a scrawny carcass. If you want fast meat birds, then you probably are not going to get good layers, and they will cost more to maintain so your egg cost will be higher.

If you are looking for a sustainable flock that will produce enough eggs and meat for your family, look for a heritage dual purpose breed. The birds the hatcheries sell are mostly selected for eggs, not for meat, so you will get scrawny carcasses. This spring I bought some cheap dual purpose cockerel chicks along with the Red Rangers that I was growing for the freezer. The Red Rangers were plump and ready to go at 12 to 14 weeks. Below is a picture of the one of the last two Buff Orpington that I just butchered today at about 19 weeks old with a soft drink can for perspective. There is a good amount of meat, mostly on the legs, but it is definitely expensive meat because I have been feeding this bird chick starter and grower feed for 19 weeks.




On the other hand, last year I raised some Cornish X, and this was the largest of those at just over 9 weeks old.


That is a 2 liter bottle for comparison. You can barely see the dinner plate he is resting on.

I suggest that you look at Cornish X or one of the ranger varieties to start off in meat birds. There are many threads on this forum that talk about how to raise meaty birds, and I recommend reading a few of them.

 

[Triple Willow]

Yes, what Elke Beck said.

 

[southernmomma]

CornishX grow out in 6-8 weeks and nothing will cheaper because they are faster growing. I raise Langshons that are good layers, and nice birds, but it is 4-6 months to eating size. You can look up and heritage breeds, and get any one of them, but be aware your cost of of meat will be higher. I am slowly getting a full flock of Langshons, eating the surplus, and by next year should be hatching my goal 50-60 surplus birds for food. This will increase my cost over raising 50-60 CornishX for meat.

I'm so glad to have found your post.....I think the Langshans are beautiful but am really interested in the meat qualities they have. Can you comment a little more specifically on carcass quality, do you range them? Where did you purchase them and have they gone broody for you?

I will appreciate it so much if can tell me more

M