Ontario - White Rock Broiler vs Cornish X?

[FMF1986]

So the internet is a wonderful thing, except I can't tell when we are all talking about the same breed. So sorry if this has been asked, but I couldn't find it when I searched.

So Ontario folks, I am looking at buying meat birds from either Frey's or Bonnie's hatcheries and they list White Rock as their meat birds. Is this the same as what most US folks call the Cornish X aka the Franken Chicken? I don't want heart attacks, broken legs and flip deaths but I do want a quick finishing, good sized meat bird. Are White Rock likely to suffer the same issues as Cornish?

Anyone tried Bonnie's Heavy Red's or Frey's Special Dual Purpose? I'm leaning towards one of these as an alternative to Franken Chicken and 12 week finishing time is still quick enough for me. But I've heard some say the quality of bird, the feed/meat conversion etc is not good and to stick with the tried and true meat bird. Thoughts? I'll have them in an outdoor pen and I'll move around food and water, but I can't free range due to the brazen balls of my local predators.

And before anyone mentions heritage, been there and it was a colossal failure. I have 8 Orpington's left of over 30. Losses due to predators were off the charts, both free ranging and cooped in Fort Knox, and April 2017 chicks have yet to lay one single egg. These freeloaders were supposed to be my self-renewing flock of heritage birds - I'd let them hatch their own eggs, process the Roos and keep the laying hens to keep the flock going...ya right, all they do is eat and shit. And I don't even have enough Roos left to justify the drive to the processing plant! So I'd like more of a sure thing this time before I give up on chickens entirely!

 

[autosuf]

Hello friend of Ontario.
Ontario catches me very far but the chickens are the same and have the same problems here in Spain.
It is also true that there is too much information on the Internet that is not always easy to assimilate.
I have a friend who suffered the attack of a predator that killed all his industrial laying hens and all his industrial meat chickens but he could not kill his chickens of the Pita Asturiana breed.
Moral: The most primitive races are more efficient to flee from predators although they are less efficient creating food for us humans.
At the beginning of the XX century (World War I) there was a friar who developed a breed of hen specially adapted to the special conditions of Canada. Regrettably, I believe that it is stinguida for the same reasons that many other primitive races were extinguished.
I think White Rock is a hybrid variety capable of creating six pounds of live weight with only five pounds of food.
But it is also capable of dying of fright without the need for the predator to kill it.
I've visited Frey's Hatchery and I do not think any of the varieties they offer are especially efficient at running away from predators.
I have my doubts about Delaware as the only one among North Americans that can enjoy those qualities.
The European races were created by the Romans and spread throughout the provinces of Gaul, Britain and Hispania.
For thousands of years they have lived in relative freedom and have developed survival skills.
Something similar can be said about the Araucanas hens that the Mapuche people have managed to develop and make available until our days.
At the other end of the world you can find the Red Rooster of the Jungle or Bankiba.

The problem is that with all pure breeds you will need the order of seven months and twelve pounds of feed to get six pounds of live weight and in some cases it will not reach six pounds even if you die of old.

Almost better to find a way to protect them from predators.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I looked at both hatcheries, what they are calling White Rocks are actually Cornish X. That's clear from their descriptions.

Bonnie's Heavy Reds sound like what are often called Rangers or Pioneers. I'm not sure what the Frey Special Dual Purpose are, it sounds like a red sex linked cross but I don't know how they will suit your purposes. The only way to find out is to try them. You could get some of each and raise them side by side for a comparison.

No chicken breed or hybrid can protect itself from predators. That's on you my friend. I don't know what predators are causing the heartburn but the only thing that works long term and with consistency are barriers they cannot penetrate. What kinds of barriers you need depends on what kinds of predators are causing the problems. If you can tell us that we may be able to offer you some suggestions.

 

[autosuf]

Chantecler

From the French ‘chanter,’ “to sing,” and ‘clair,’ “bright,” the Chantecler is the first Canadian breed of chicken. Under the supervision of Brother Chatelain, the monks of the Cistercian Abbey in Oka, Quebec, sought to create, “a fowl of vigorous and rustic temperament that could resist the climatic conditions of Canada, a general purpose fowl.” Although work began on this breed in 1908, it was not introduced to the public until 1918, and admitted to the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection in 1921.

 

[Erin80]

I wonder how many pounds a chantecler dresses out at.....anyone know? I have a friend raising them for meat, but she's just growing them at the moment.

 

[Folly's place]

I've only had my white Chanteclers for three years now, all from Cackle hatchery. The hens are good layers, and the best of the group gets to respectable size. There is a range! I'm keeping the largest individuals for breeding; the cockbird avatar weighs in at just over 8.5 pounds. Hens go around 6.5 to 7.0 pounds. They dress out well, IMO. BUT, they aren't Cornishx hybrids, so don't resemble grocery store birds!
I like them a lot; very cold hardy, nice birds, good dual purpose chickens.
No chicken is safe from predators! It's my job to keep them safe! Making their coop and run as predator proof as possible, and managing free range time carefully.
Mary