Meat Birds that can lay eggs??

[Flyboy718]

I'd go with a black australorp

 

[wyoDreamer]

IMHO, for what you are describing, the best bird would be Cornish Cross or other meat bird (Freedom Ranger, Kosher King, Red Broiler, each hatchery has its own strain). These birds have been bred to grow fast, butcher while still tender, and good feed to meat conversion. If your parents want fast growing birds that can be slaughtered early, then Cornish Crosses are the way to go. You can raise them up, and at 8 weeks old send them to Kamp Kenmore. Then get another batch of babies to raise to butcher in the fall.

There are many threads here about many different ways to raise them. Some put them in tracters that they move daily, some raise them in a coop, some just raise them as regular chickens with free ranging available. Just figure out what system will work best for you and your situation. They are poop machines, so be prepared for the mess.

If you were looking for a meat bird that you could keep some as a small flock to lay eggs and hatch eggs out in the spring for a batch to butcher every year, then the dual purpose birds may be better. With dual purpose birds you would keep some birds year-round and not have to buy chicks every spring.

 

[kfacres]

read my BYC page.