Photo comparison - Java, Freedom Ranger, CX carcasses

[countrygirl5]

I was wondering where you get your FR's? I have raised the CX for a few years and although you get alot of meat, they're such nasty, stinky birds, and you CANNOT raise them w/your layer flock. Too lazy and stinky (believe me, I've tried). I want something that will give me good meat, that doesn't take 6mos to raise, like a DP bird, but that actually feathers out and looks like a chicken before butchering.

Thanks.

 

[Elke Beck]

I was wondering where you get your FR's? I have raised the CX for a few years and although you get alot of meat, they're such nasty, stinky birds, and you CANNOT raise them w/your layer flock. Too lazy and stinky (believe me, I've tried). I want something that will give me good meat, that doesn't take 6mos to raise, like a DP bird, but that actually feathers out and looks like a chicken before butchering.

Thanks.

I have not done FR, but I did a group of 5 CX and 9 Red Rangers this spring. The RRs do take a few weeks longer to get to size, but they grow nicely and have a big carcass. I am doing the last 5 RR cockerels this weekend at 11 weeks, and they are pretty well filled in. It would be better if I could let them go to 12 or more weeks, but they are crowing at 5:30 in the morning and a couple are getting too aggressive.

 

[LindaB220]

Bringing this back to the top to show the difference of the 3 birds. Good to know. Thanks

 

[kuntrygirl]

WOW!!! Very informative. Those are THE BEST looking processed birds that I have seen on BYC. You did a fabulous job!!

 

[mrs1885]

Great post! This is our first year with meat birds and I'm nervous. I'm still too much of a wimp to process myself, and hubby is MUCH too sensitive to even think of it. Off to the local processing plant they'll go. We're bringing in Jersey Giant and likely some Light Brahma as well. Our layers are EE, Black Australorp, White Rock, and Black sex link, so I may incubate some of those for processing. Anything we should know about any of the breeds before we start sending off to processing? I plan on sending them around 12 weeks unless they become a problem before then.

 

[countrygirl5]

Do you have a pic of your RR to compare to the FR you pictured? I have 6 mouths to feed.

We did some DP this year, Light Brahmas, and while they did give as much meat as the CX, it took sooooo long for them to get there. With a CX I can get two meals out of one bird, (but my boys are only 3 and 1). I'm sure in the years ahead it will take one whole CX to feed my family.

We have a better set up this year. We made 3 runs and a separate area where the CX's can be raised away from the layers. So looking forward to how it turns out. Hoping to do about 25 this spring!

 

[mrs1885]

After lots of chatting with others here and research on line, we decided to just get more White Rock. I know they'll be half the size of the CX but I just can't bring myself to get any of them. I know if you're careful with how you raise them they can live longer than processing age, but not like other breeds. So White Rock will be our meaties. Anyone have experience with those as meaties?

 

[LindaB220]

After lots of chatting with others here and research on line, we decided to just get more White Rock. I know they'll be half the size of the CX but I just can't bring myself to get any of them. I know if you're careful with how you raise them they can live longer than processing age, but not like other breeds. So White Rock will be our meaties. Anyone have experience with those as meaties?

That's what I'm buying. I'll be mixing w/ Light Sussex to get a tastier bird.

 

[blucoondawg]

I have a few white rocs in my flock of birds which came from Mcmurray hatchery, I wouldn't bother with them as meat birds unless you have a different source which has a larger line, I only have 3 hens and they are very small and lay small eggs as well, not impressed with them at all.

I also notice you are wanting to butcher at 12 weeks? I wouldn't recommend that with the dual purpose breeds, these take far longer to grow to a mature size than the meat breeds, a dual purpose layer at 12 weeks old is going to be one awefully light carcass. I butchered my extra New Hampshire and Barred Roc roosters at around 20 or 22 weeks and they were probably close to full grown by that point. Honestly butchering these breeds at 12 weeks is almost a waste of a chicken, if you want something to grow out in that time I suggest looking into the freedom rangers or red rangers, different hatcheries have different names for them, but they grow a little slower than the Cornish X which allows them far less health issues, they would be ready in about your time frame.

 

[pawtraitart]

We use our BBS orpingtons as our meat chickens. They get huge! Over the years I've bred for size and we're really happy with the orps. I hatch early in the season and by the time the weather allows they can be set loose to free range until late Fall.