multi strain meat bird breeding mix

[enel 1]

Oh, also I have back cross chicks hatched out today, they are the black rooster in the pic, over the rirxcommercial broiler hens, I've got black, white, and reddish tan, they are much larger than my SandS line chicks.I'm planing on keeping back the white birds for future breeding.

 

[Arielle]

Quote: I have 2 pullets at about 10 months-- but the roosters take no interest in them. Fortunately I did get 2 chicks to hatch from a third pullet that suddenly died. Any suggestions to help the boys become armourous? ( I tried changing roosters already.)

what a great thread! This is my first time I have got meat birds (just started keeping chickens 2 summers ago so steep learning curve

A fried and I got 103 Mistral Gris - trying to raise them to be as free range as possible - this is a bad time of year to do that but we are persevering.
What do you think of Chantecler over an MG? Or BCM? They are 4 1/2 weeks old now and we are thinking of keeping some of the females back for possible breeding.

Any insights would be great thank you!

You best answer is to try the crosses and look at the results. Lines can be very different. My BCM are not my best meat birds, perhaps or likely, that your line is better. Crossing almost always results in a better growth rate.

Have any of you guys tried fermented feed for your meat birds??? I highly recommend it! The "Fermented Feed for Meat Birds" thread has all the info and people there to answer any questions.

grin. The 3 newest chicks are eating homemade yogurt already!! Along with a spoonful of this and that-- teach them early to avoid picky eaters!!

 

[Arielle]

Quote: Any photos??

Keep us posted-- crossing lines is very enlightening-- not always the expected outcome. OFten in breeding livestock , using 3-4 breeds can result in a fast gorwing animal. Selecting the right 4 is the tricky part.

 

[Paulyp]

when referring to a cross the cock would come first, you have in one post CXxDC and in the other you say , DCxCX, so its a little confusing?!?! You see its important to know which is the sire and which is the dame because you get different attributes in the offspring depending on which direction you breed, for example, CXxDC chicks would look much different than DCxCX chicks just a FYI to keep the breeding strait and repeatable.

Thanks for the info... It was a typo. DC roo CR hen.

 

[Triple Willow]

grin. The 3 newest chicks are eating homemade yogurt already!! Along with a spoonful of this and that-- teach them early to avoid picky eaters!!

Hey there Arielle. How are you doing? I have been out of ff for a couple days and my birds are not happy at all. This morning I poured that dry feed out for them and they wouldn't have any part of it. Instead they attacked by bucket looking for their ff! Mine are picky eaters! LOL

 

[sandspoultry]

My hatchery type Cornish are multiple generations old and came from S and S poultry, and his stock were hatchery birds and he said he bred a nice show quality bird into his line. I'm on my 4th generation with them and they still have that hatchery look but they are much larger then actual hatchery birds. They grow out super fast too. So I use them for the sire line, I just got the Ed Smith birds and I'll keep that line pure. These birds grow out much slower then my others.

I think you are mistaken, Our birds came from Welp hatchery and we bred them for size and growth for going on about 15 years now. We never said there was show quality in the line? As i'm sure you know show quality DC are very very poor layers and hard to breed/fertility is very low. The short legs and squat body shape of SQ DC make is hard for them to breed.

 

[enel 1]

I was told that at some time that you added breeder DC also in your line the show quality bird I have are from ed smith, I will find your ad for eggs that states your birds are hatchery and breeder birds. I'll edit where I mistakedly wrote show quality. I love your birds even though communication with you about them has been difficult, I'm glad your here now!

 

[enel 1]

I think you are mistaken, Our birds came from Welp hatchery and we bred them for size and growth for going on about 15 years now. We never said there was show quality in the line? As i'm sure you know show quality DC are very very poor layers and hard to breed/fertility is very low. The short legs and squat body shape of SQ DC make is hard for them to breed. 

 

[enel 1]

Here is a pic of some of your line...greatgrand childern from the eggs I got from you

 

[enel 1]

Not the brown, black, or white ones of course.