Need to choose a meat bird to order

[countrygirlkp]

I need to choose a meat bird. I only have one coop. When I talked with a Hatchery today they said I shouldn't combine Cornish X Rock birds with egg layers since the cornish birds will dominate the feed pan. So they recommended I find a dual purpose bird. I haven't ordered any birds yet. I also found out that Tractor Supply has Red Production pullets (what type of bird is this?) and Silver Laced Wyandottes straight run. I would appreciate any feedback on what types of dual meat birds people have used and been happy with. Thanks!

 

[JacksFlock]

I'd try Freedom Rangers.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

If you cannot separate your meat birds for 8 weeks from your laying hens, I would agree with countrygirlkp.

 

[donrae]

I raised my cornish with my layers. If anything, the layers were mean to the lumbering meaties, not the other way around. The CX are so docile, they got most of their excercise running away from the mean layers! I think I put them out there at about three weeks, and let some of them go too long, they were almost 12 weeks when we processed.

If you're really worried about anyone not getting enough feed, set up another feeder. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, even a pan will work. The nice thing about cornish cross is everything is short term.

 

[xC0000005]

I raised my cornish with my layers. If anything, the layers were mean to the lumbering meaties, not the other way around. The CX are so docile, they got most of their excercise running away from the mean layers! I think I put them out there at about three weeks, and let some of them go too long, they were almost 12 weeks when we processed.

If you're really worried about anyone not getting enough feed, set up another feeder. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, even a pan will work. The nice thing about cornish cross is everything is short term.

How big is a 12 week CX?

 

[SowdersHomestead]

I need to choose a meat bird. I only have one coop. When I talked with a Hatchery today they said I shouldn't combine Cornish X Rock birds with egg layers since the cornish birds will dominate the feed pan. So they recommended I find a dual purpose bird. I haven't ordered any birds yet. I also found out that Tractor Supply has Red Production pullets (what type of bird is this?) and Silver Laced Wyandottes straight run. I would appreciate any feedback on what types of dual meat birds people have used and been happy with. Thanks!

Its a cross between a Rhode Island Red and a New Hampshire Red.

We are raising different dual purpose breeds for meat. I have some black star cockerels that are 14 weeks. They are bigger than my Black Australorps which are close to 1 yr old. We have RIR roosters which are 3 weeks old. The RIR's were purchase with my Cornish X and the CX's are 4 times the size of the RIR.

We are interested in sustainability and although the CX is the better meat bird when it comes to feed to meat ratio and carcass weight, they are not sustainable.

Let us know what you decide to go with and how it works out.

 

[donrae]

How big is a 12 week CX?

Too flippin' big!

I think the largest was pushing 13lbs. But I think they had passed that feed/growth conversion point, I don't think they were growing much more, especially compared to how much they were eating to sustain themselves.

 

[Oregon Blues]

There won't be any of that dominating feeders if you have enough feeder space.

There is no reason that Cornish Cross can't be raised with your layers. Personally, I would separate because I push growth on the Cornish Cross by feeding high protein. It won't hurt your layers, but it is an unnecessary expense since they can eat and grow on cheaper food.

 

[silkiechicken]

I've done cornish x and leghorns in the same coop/run/tractor for 8 weeks with no ill effects. They are on the complete opposite spectrum of bird types too. If anything, the roudy spatz of leghorns were mellowed out a bit by the cornish x's lazy ways, and the cornish x were kept on their feet just a tad more by being run over by the leghorns. Enough space on the ground, along feed, along water, movement of the tractor enough to keep less muddy digs, and it went fine for me. When it was treat time, those cornish x lumbered as fast as they could to my hands in attempts to beat the leghorns. They were such sweet birds. Alive and on the table.

 

[Beekissed]

I raised my cornish with my layers. If anything, the layers were mean to the lumbering meaties, not the other way around. The CX are so docile, they got most of their excercise running away from the mean layers! I think I put them out there at about three weeks, and let some of them go too long, they were almost 12 weeks when we processed.

If you're really worried about anyone not getting enough feed, set up another feeder. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, even a pan will work. The nice thing about cornish cross is everything is short term.

Same here! I raised them with my layers and just provided another feeder for the meaties after they got too big to fit at the layer feeder. They understood which feeder was theirs because I fed them first and they were the first to the feeders!

They layers would just stand back and let 'em go at it and then I'd feed my layers...it was a good solution to just provide another feeder. I agree...it doesn't have to be fancy...I just used an old and heavy, wooden feed box built for horses.

My meaties ate the same ration, fed once a day just like the layers and finished out at good weights at the appropriate times, so no need to push high pro feeds at these birds at all. Mine ate layer ration and whole grains/cracked corn at the finish.