meat birds

[bobbyjoeokla]

I have RIRs and they are my babies but I wwould like to raise some chickens for meat should i just hatch more RIRs and not get attached to them or should I use a different breed.

 

[fried green eggs]

You would probably get more feedback if you posted this question in the Meat Birds ETC forum on the site. If you like hatching it could increase your hens and be a answer for the little roos that hatch.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Many people (including me) raise and butcher dual-purpose breed roosters, such as Rhode Island Reds. They're going to be very different from the chicken you get at the store. They're going to look quite scrawny in comparison, especially in the breast area. They're going to be far more flavorful, especially if they're allowed to free range (they make THE BEST chicken noodle soup!).

If it were me, I'd just hatch from your RIRs (especially if you have experience hatching) and raise them to 5 months old and butcher the roosters and keep the pullets as layers or sell them as point-of-lay pullets.

We did raise 40 Cornish X broilers a couple years ago. They grew very fast and were very tasty and very plump with lots of breast meat. I just didn't like raising them because they were so disgusting (IMHO) and un-natural. They grew extremely fast, towards the end they could barely walk. Their feathers didn't grow fast enough to keep themselves fully-feathered so they were half naked. They also pooped a LOT, their bedding would become a thick mat of hay and poop in no time at all (we'd add another layer of fresh hay one day, and then the next day replace it all with fresh hay). Despite our best efforts to keep their bedding clean, there was no way I was willing to eat the skin of any of those birds. It was nasty compared to the free-range dual-purpose roosters I am accustomed to. I may order the Cornish X again, but if I do I will raise them differently (Joel Salatin style). The thick mat of poop they are able to produce in one day would do wonders for a pasture!

 

[bobbyjoeokla]

i will try that im new to this posting stuff

 

[bobbyjoeokla]

I am not experienced at hatchingg but i am going to try. thanks for the info I dont think i will be able to put another breed on my prperty for a while . now Ive just gotta figure out how to tell roos from hens early on lol

 

[fried green eggs]

RIR can be feather sexed at a very early age. We had CX last year and raised them in a 2x4 wired tractor that we moved daily. We just used a tarp for weather protection. We let them free range every day and they stayed very clean. I would get them back to tractor by feeding them at night. They stayed healthy and very active and were a blast to watch them come running. By the time we butchered them they were the size of small turkeys and very tasty

 

[bobbyjoeokla]

whats a CX sorry I'm trying to learn the chicken stuff. I apologize for the stupid questions

 

[Ridgerunner]

whats a CX sorry I'm trying to learn the chicken stuff. I apologize for the stupid questions

Cx, Cornish Cross, Cornish X, Broilers - all names for the commercial broilers the commercial operators raise for meat birds. It's what you buy in the store.

 

[Cowgirl71]

I am not experienced at hatchingg but i am going to try. thanks for the info I dont think i will be able to put another breed on my prperty for a while . now Ive just gotta figure out how to tell roos from hens early on lol

Feel free to PM me pics of the birds when they're old enough. I've hatched and raised a bunch of Rhode Island Reds and they're pretty easy to sex by 12 weeks of age.

We raised our Cornish X in a two horse trailer that we predator-proofed with mesh. I'm not sure how many square feet per bird that was, but it seemed fairly spacious. Next time we'll raise them on pasture in a "chicken tractor."

BTW, if you're looking for an incubator, I've been very pleased with a used Genesis I bought from a fellow BYCer. Don't get the cheap Little Giant 9200 that the feed stores carry, it's very unpredictable and frustrating to use. I'm a very frugal person but I've found the Genesis to be worth the extra money. I'll never buy a LG 9200 again. I get excellent hatch rates from the Genesis every time and it's very hands-off, it's almost plug in and walk away for three weeks. It's very stress-free compared to the LG 9200.

 

[bobbyjoeokla]

Feel free to PM me pics of the birds when they're old enough. I've hatched and raised a bunch of Rhode Island Reds and they're pretty easy to sex by 12 weeks of age.

We raised our Cornish X in a two horse trailer that we predator-proofed with mesh. I'm not sure how many square feet per bird that was, but it seemed fairly spacious. Next time we'll raise them on pasture in a "chicken tractor."

BTW, if you're looking for an incubator, I've been very pleased with a used Genesis I bought from a fellow BYCer. Don't get the cheap Little Giant 9200 that the feed stores carry, it's very unpredictable and frustrating to use. I'm a very frugal person but I've found the Genesis to be worth the extra money. I'll never buy a LG 9200 again. I get excellent hatch rates from the Genesis every time and it's very hands-off, it's almost plug in and walk away for three weeks. It's very stress-free compared to the LG 9200.

Thanks a lot for the info I cant wait to start hatching im sure yall will get tired of my questions by then lol