Need an opinion....sustainable flock

[Jared77]

Broodies might be wishful thinking on my part. Maybe, just maybe once I can get to the point where I'm producing what we want reliably I'd consider broody hens. It would be something but if it never matures then no big deal. I had anticipated on incubating eggs to meet our demands, given what we order in broilers. Interesting to hear about the production on the Delawares, though average layers are perfectly ok. I'm not trying to be saturated in eggs, just fill the demand without having to keep back 20 hens because the birds are good sized, the meat is good, but it takes that many to get a reliable batch of chicks to raise up. I had hoped I would only need 5-6 good hens, that are broad and meaty, and a single big beefcake Roo.

Ill have to take a serious look at the Buckeyes, I hadn't thought of them at all. One other question though, are the breeds that have been listed all going to mature big enough at 12-16 weeks to be good eats or am I really just raising a bunch of stew meat?

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Our meat bird of choice would be Dark Cornish or Speckled Sussex for quantity of meat per bird. They both have a history as being bred as meat birds in the past so that makes a big difference. The eggs tend to be smaller on the down side

If you like leg 1/4's the Buff Orpington have huge ones and they lay a jumbo sized egg. I think our Speckled Sussex are going to be the same way but we haven't processed any yet.

Marans have the best taste of any we raise, and lay large eggs.

Steve

 

[goatranch]

Buster52 I also am working on Del and cornish cross. Have you had much luck? My birds are just starting to lay, but they are very mean to the roos. My cornish is HUGE, but is scared of the girls. I want the cornish because of nice meat color, but at this point I am discouraged

I am wishing everyone lots of luck on their sustainable flock!!!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
While Cornish X are easier to pluck because they are less heavily feathered than dual purpose/heritage birds, (they have two strips down the breast that are almost naked, and fewer feathers under the wings, and fewer under the tail) I disagree that white birds in general are easier to pluck. Commercial chickens are plucked by machine anyway. (as are some home grown ones, if you buy or build a plucker) The machines remove dark feathers just as well as white feathers. If there are pin feathers left on a white bird, you just can't see them as easily.

Hand plucking, you go through the very same steps with a white bird as a dark one. I prefer dark, because I can see the feathers more easily.

Meat producers (those selling them) usually prefer white because they raise fast growing Cornish X or a similar bird, and they're white. The industry does prefer white, not because the feathers come out any easier, but because if you miss some, they're harder to see. It's purely for appearance. For home use, it doesn't really matter what color you have. When you pull out a feather, there's sometimes a little glob of gel-like stuff in the skin. On a white bird, it'll be clear or pink, so you don't notice it. On a dark bird, it may have some color to it, so you're more likely to see it. It has no effect on the flavor of the meat. Once the bird's cooked, you probably won't see it, either.

I'm fussy about getting all the pin feathers and little fluff off the skin, it's easier for me if I can see it. (my eyes are not young anymore) When I finish cleaning a bird, you usually can't tell whether it was a white one or a dark one.

So I'd go for whatever has the growth, body type, and meat qualities you prefer, and not bother about what color they are. Steve of Sands Poultry made some good suggestions. You might also try cross-breeding any of those, and see what you get.

As for broodies, dark Cornish are good brooders and good moms, so are Brahmas. My light Brahmas are fanatical brooders, but my buff Brahmas have not gone broody at all. I have read statements from other Brahma owners, that have had exactly the opposite happen. I got my originals from a show breeder, they're not hatchery stock. I have 3 Buckeye hens, one of them is broody right now, and setting on eggs. Brahmas lay a good sized egg, too. Orpingtons are sometimes broody, sometimes not, I think it depends on the strain you get ahold of. I have have at least a few BO's most of the years I've raised chickens, and only had ONE of them go broody, and she only did it once. But I see people all the time post about the broody BO's they have, so I can only conclude that I just happened to get a non-broody strain. Having some broodies in with your meat producing DP's is a very do-able thing, you really shouldn't have much trouble with it. One of the nice things about having a bunch of broodies, is that if you start some eggs in the "bator at the same time you give a few eggs to your broodies, you can usually slip the 'bator chicks in with the hen-hatched ones, and let the hens raise them, and not mess with brooder pens and so on so much. Hens don't need to be plugged in, you don't have to worry about them getting too hot under the lights, etc. They can be let out to free-range a lot sooner, because Mom will protect them. I usually let mine out to range as soon as the chicks can get back up the step to go inside at night, so about a week old. If a hen hatches some out on her own, they're out with Mom from day one, and I have to put a ramp on the coop so they can get inside with her at night.

I have some Brahma/Cornish crosses, they're big birds, they hens tend to brood, and the eggs are good sized, too. They were DC hen/Brahma roo, I want to try the other way around, DC roo, Brahma hen. I think they'll turn out a little better. I can't tell you what the roos weighed when they were 16 weeks, I didn't butcher until 20-25 weeks, sometimes more, if was busy or not feeling well. The dressed weights were usually over 6 lbs., sometimes over 7 lbs. Meaty, big breasts, though not like a Cornish X, they weren't at all scrawny, like many of my DP roos have been. (I'm happy to eat the scrawny ones, too, but I did like getting some nice meaty ones)

Good luck, it's a very do-able project, and there are a lot of good choices and combinations. Play around with them until you find what works the best for you. You'll have a good time experimenting, too. It's always interesting to try different breeds and/or crosses.

 

[eKo_birdies]

Quote:
what IS that gel-like substance?? that stuff is so bothersome to me when hand plucking!!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
what IS that gel-like substance?? that stuff is so bothersome to me when hand plucking!!

It's just part of the follicle that the feather grows from, and some pigment, if it's a colored-feather bird. It's harmless, and if you just leave it, it mostly rinses off when you do your final rinse of the bird, anything left just kind of dissipates while the birds age for a couple of days. I just wipe off what's above the skin and ignore the rest. It won't affect the taste of the meat.

 

[crperdue]

My plan is to breed my Freedom Ranger roosters over Delaware hens to produce
red sex-link broilers. I will keep just enough Ranger hens and a Delaware rooster
to raise my own replacements.

 

[cattleman999]

Are the Freedom Rangers a possibility for a sustainable flock? What is their egg laying like?

 

[crperdue]

Someone, can't remember who, posted that her rangers she kept for breeding were decent layers.
I just need a few to raise replacements. They are hybrids and will not breed true, however
if I keep a flock of them and cull accordingly I should get decent results.

Or at least thats what I hope!

 

[Jared77]

Actually you should get a mix if they truly are a hybrid. Hybrid being 2 different breeds and you have the results of that breeding. A mix of what the parents look like, and some that resemble each grandparent. With careful culling though, you should be able to get a consistant line of them going that do breed true and uniform. Keep us posted...