More meat??

[CashandTracy]

I am raising so Wyandotte cockrels for the purpose of eating them. They are currently 15 weeks old. They don't seem to have much meat on them at this point. I know I can't expect them to ever be as big as a cornish cross, but I was hoping for more. They still have very prominant keels and very small breasts, much like a 2 week old chick. Any tips for getting better meat production from them?

Sorry for all the bad spelling!

 

[iwiw60]

What are you feeding them???

 

[CashandTracy]

Opsie, I forgot to include that. I'm feeding Nutrena nature wise meat bird.

 

[donrae]

Your non-meatie birds are just not going to have the big breasts of a CX. Breast meat being desirable is a pretty new thing, in all the years folks have been eating chicken. This will give you an idea what you're looking at....these birds were in the 8 month age range, mostly mixed breeds including Rock, EE, Wyandotte, Welsummer (all hatchery birds)







not much breast meat, but nice plump thighs and legs. These birds were fed an All-in-one type feed, around 20% I think, plus table and garden scraps.

 

[CashandTracy]

Thank you very much!