multi strain meat bird breeding mix

[elroddo]

Has anyone tried throwing a jersey giant into the genetic pool to see how it would do? I mean for truly large birds they should be up there, maybe breed them to a fast grower to see if you can get huge size with faster growth over the standard Jersey.

 

[trsturself]

Has anyone tried throwing a jersey giant into the genetic pool to see how it would do? I mean for truly large birds they should be up there, maybe breed them to a fast grower to see if you can get huge size with faster growth over the standard Jersey.

I don't think you'd be able to speed them up enough. They take FOREVER to get to full size. I have a barnevelder java mix roo and he's already 23 weeks old and is just now starting to put on some muscle. He is large but it's all bone still. I think it would probably be the same with a jersey. A normal chicken grows it's bone structure first then muscle, so shorter chickens with high muscle mass is the best. IMHO

 

[elroddo]

Makes sense. I'm raising wyandottes for egg birds, and I'm considering breeding my own, so if I get the room I'll end up with roosters that'll need culling. I'm wondering how good they would be for making a meat bird hybrid. They seem to grow fairly quick, and are really winter hardy so are perfect for my area.

 

[Bossroo]

These types of crossbreeding experiments are not only very costly ( do your own TRUE cost / benefit analysis and you will be surprised) but wishful thinking at best. I, as well as my parents have been breeding chickens for well over a half century ( dad was a Veterinarian so we had quite an advantage in genetic selection, nutrition, etc.) and we still could NOT compete with the CornishX in meat production nor the Leghorn for egg production. We both culled ALL of our chickens and now raise the CornishX for meat and the Leghorn for eggs. Good LUCK in your efforts!

 

[ladycat]

These types of crossbreeding experiments are not only very costly ( do your own TRUE cost / benefit analysis and you will be surprised) but wishful thinking at best. I, as well as my parents have been breeding chickens for well over a half century ( dad was a Veterinarian so we had quite an advantage in genetic selection, nutrition, etc.) and we still could NOT compete with the CornishX in meat production nor the Leghorn for egg production. We both culled ALL of our chickens and now raise the CornishX for meat and the Leghorn for eggs. Good LUCK in your efforts!

It's not always about the cost. But mine find almost all their own food and cost very little.

 

[SJ]

These types of crossbreeding experiments are not only very costly ( do your own TRUE cost / benefit analysis and you will be surprised) but wishful thinking at best. I, as well as my parents have been breeding chickens for well over a half century ( dad was a Veterinarian so we had quite an advantage in genetic selection, nutrition, etc.) and we still could NOT compete with the CornishX in meat production nor the Leghorn for egg production. We both culled ALL of our chickens and now raise the CornishX for meat and the Leghorn for eggs. Good LUCK in your efforts!

It's not always about the cost. But mine find almost all their own food and cost very little.

The truth is people raise birds for many reasons. Food, breed preservation, or simply enjoyment. If money was everyone's motive the mega producers Purdue, Pilgrim, Tyson, and others would be the only ones raising birds. As BossRoo has said before elsewhere the economics of scale are on the big guys side.
If it comes down to money you're better off sticking to the super market. If you have other motives like the OP of mixing up meat strains just to see what happens because they enjoy creating something they can call theirs then be ready to see double on the TRUE cost of producing your own meat bird compared to buying a commercial broiler at MegaMart.

Having said that there are ways to save money when it comes to producing your own meat and foraging on pasture is surely one.

To the OP I went WLR Cornish instead of dark for a sire over DelawareX hens. I wanted mostly white birds. It made a decent meat bird. It improved the Cornish growth rate as well as the fleshing of the DelawaresX. I keep the keel bone from the best cockerel from this cross to compare the newer crosses to. If you want pics or just curious PM me.

 

[SJ]

I love me Delawares 0=> X Wyandottes 0=+. Big birds and the hens have all hatched out with rose combs. So they make for hardy winter layers too. As meat birds go they are one of the best F1 dual purpose crosses I have made. When it comes to meat qualities the Delaware's pattern makes for a clean looking plucked bird. They grow out in about 17 weeks to over 6 pounds. Oh and I get only jumbo eggs out these hens.

 

[Double Kindness]

I just got some chicks today. idk what they are, looks like slw, br and idk white star? yellow cornish? I have them on 26% protien game bird food, and turned off the lights in the barn for a few hours and just turned them back on, they have feed and water.

I have no clue what I'm doing. I have my laying flock already and am expecting new chicks to add to them soon.

 

[LindaB220]

I just got some chicks today. idk what they are, looks like slw, br and idk white star? yellow cornish? I have them on 26% protien game bird food, and turned off the lights in the barn for a few hours and just turned them back on, they have feed and water.

I have no clue what I'm doing. I have my laying flock already and am expecting new chicks to add to them soon.

Bump down your gamestarter for a start. Too much protein for babies. Add it to chick starter . Start them on small grit as soon as possible. I add a scoop of dirt out of the garden to a scoop of heavy sand and mix. It gives them immunities to cocci and added grit. Keep them at 85 degrees for a while and if they need a lamp put one in one end of the brooder. Give them a place to get away from the light if they get hot. My summer temps in deep south La is so hot that I don't need a lamp. You can feed them some scrambled eggs and oatmeal. Great for them. Apple cider vinegar with mother for waterer. Look up fermenting their feed. Good luck

 

[Double Kindness]

I have laying hens already, these were to be freezer camp bound. I'm giving them chick grit will put corid in their water and feed them scrambled eggs from my chickens as soon as they finish laying today. I hear egg songs already.