I've only worked with the Cornish X's and have to admit that they're amazing birds. Very docile and grow rapidly. I've had some reach 6 pounds in 36 days. A fryer at 2 to 2 1/2 lbs seems really small to me but then that's probably about the size of bird served in most fried chicken chains. I had the lead chef for Popeye's tell me that their birds were slaughtered at 21 days. At the time they also owned Church's and he commented that they liked bigger birds....24 days.
Freedom Rangers, from my understanding, were developed in France as a more natural, healthy alternative to the CX. I processed my Freedom Rangers in batches, starting with the 6 largest birds when they were 9 weeks of age. Those first 6 ranged from one pullet who was not thriving at just under 2 pounds to the largest at about 4 1/2 pounds, but most were right around 4 pounds fully dressed. At week 10 I did 6 more that ranged from 4 - 5 pounds. Week 11 I did the rest and there weren't any below 4 pounds and several above 5 pounds. I actually kept 2 pullets and 1 rooster, hoping to hatch out some nice first generation FR babies in the spring. However, the rooster turned out to be a brute who was hurting my hens, so I butchered him at about 6 months of age. He was over 8 pounds dressed who made an awsome Coc au Vin dinner with leftovers to freeze for several more dinners. One of the hens I butchered at maybe 10 months of age and she was over 7 pounds dressed (and made 2 delicious Chicken Fricassee dinners). I still have the remaining FR hen, who is approaching a year. She is easily twice the size of my EE hens and 1.5X the size of my BPR hens. I will be adding her to the freezer when my remaining CX reach butchering age. Only one of the 35 seemed to develop any leg problems and he was the first to go at 9 weeks.
