Red Broiler

[Chickenheadmate]

I'm assuming that it won't be true, but I want to know what I can try to cross a red Broiler booster with to make a good meat bird. I was thinkin g Barred rock or New Hamsphire. .
Or maybe a Cornish hen. Thanks in advance guys

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

isn't a red broiler a meat bird?

 

[Chickenheadmate]

isn't a red broiler a meat bird?

It is. But they didn't have any hens

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

hmm.... i guess any heavy-er breed would work.

 

[potatoesgonnapotate]

I have heard barred rocks are good for meat, so I would personally try that. I have eaten some of my Cornish crosses and they were great, but my rangers and barred rocks are still a few months from butcher.

 

[Ridgerunner]

When you cross those red broilers with a dual purpose chicken you will get a bird that is somewhere in between the parents. They will not grow out as fast as the broilers but will grow out faster than the pure dual purpose bird. Body conformation will be somewhere in between. The broilers are hybrids so you will probably get some variations in the chicks but most of that should be cosmetic, probably won't affect how good they are for meat that much.

Not sure exactly what you consider a good meat bird, different people look for different traits. If you prefer more breast meat a true Cornish might be a good choice. If you pluck you might find a white or buff bird gives you a prettier carcass because the light pin feathers don't show us as well. I skin so that doesn't matter to me. Would there be any benefit in hatching sex links so you know which are cockerels and which pullets at hatch? The quality of the parents makes a difference too. Not all birds of a specific breed are created equal, it depends on what traits the person selecting which birds get to breed are looking for.

With all the variables in what you might be looking for and especially not knowing the quality of the hens you might get, my suggestion is to try something and see how you like it. Or even better try different breeds and compare. Decide what works best for you with the quality of the stock you get and whatever traits you are looking for. If you mix them you need to determine how you will tell the chicks apart. That could mean separate hatches for each different breed or use genetics so you can tell by the feathers/pattern which hens were the mother.

With the rooster being a hybrid there is a little uncertainty in the color/pattern genetics, but if you cross the with a red bird like a New Hampshire all the chicks, male and female, should be red. If you cross them with a Barred Rock, Dominique, or Cuckoo Marans you should get Black Sex Links, the males black barred and the females solid black. If you cross them with a Delaware you should get Red Sex Links, the pullets red and the males white but with barring in the few black feathers. There are other combinations that will give you chicks you should know which breed of hen was the mother.

If you are looking for something exactly like the red broilers you are going to be disappointed. But a cross with a good dual purpose hen should give you what many of us would consider a pretty good meat bird.

Good luck!