Slow growing breeds for meat - What breeds to get?

[Molpet]

For any straight run chicks I buy for meat, I butcher the cockerels early for making stock.
For any straight run chicks I buy to add to the flock, I take the cockerels to a local feed store that finds homes.
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Orpingtons, Australorps, Olive Eggers, Wyandottes, and Sex linked birds are not breeds/mixes that I will ever eat

I assume you don't eat quail since they are much smaller than those.

 

[SouthofFla]

Turkens (naked neck) chickens are really easy to pluck out and have good-sized legs.

 

[imacowgirl2]

still on the look out for my ideal meat birds to raise in a free range environment.

Have you tried the New Hampshire from Freedom Ranger Hatchery? Granted, they are the only meat bird I’ve had, so I don’t have experience with any other meat bird varieties to compare their free range ability to…but they free range right along side my laying flock. They don’t go as far as the laying hens, and they do come back to eat out of the feeder in the coop/run more often than the layers, but they spend the vast majority of their day out free ranging.

That being said…when I butchered my first batch in December, the hens were 1.5-3 lbs smaller than the roosters; in my setup, the hens free ranged right up to the end but the roosters only free ranged to about six weeks then were confined to a large run. I have no idea how much of that difference in weight should be attributed to variance between males vs females or to the difference between run vs free ranging. My entire batch this time will be in the same housing (mix of run and free range) so I will be interested to see the difference in weights this time around.

 

[Amer]

Some of the Delawares right now. They’re kind of spread out so hard to photograph.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I would never eat a Buff Orpington or an Australorp. Those are pet breeds.

Orpingtons, Australorps, Olive Eggers, Wyandottes, and Sex linked birds are not breeds/mixes that I will ever eat

We all have our own personal preferences, goals, motivations, and methods. Those are the type of birds I raise to eat. That just makes us unique, does not make either of us wrong.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Do you know if they are breast heavy like other meat breeds? Can't tell from the website... I'd give them a try but I hate white meat, so I don't want breasty chickens.

Consider Dorking, Delaware.

 

[KikiDeAnime]

Thanks everyone!
I've decided to try Delaware again so when they come into the feed store, I'll be buying a couple of them

 

[K0k0shka]

We all have our own personal preferences, goals, motivations, and methods. Those are the type of birds I raise to eat. That just makes us unique, does not make either of us wrong.

I wish people would keep their personal views and preferences personal. Our local feed store won't sell you chicks if you want to grow them for meat - the owner wants all of them to live out their lives as layers or pets... (but won't take back or help rehome those that turn out to be roosters). Sigh. So much for supporting local family business - and off to TSC I go!

 

[The Birb King]

For any straight run chicks I buy for meat, I butcher the cockerels early for making stock.
For any straight run chicks I buy to add to the flock, I take the cockerels to a local feed store that finds homes.
.
Orpingtons, Australorps, Olive Eggers, Wyandottes, and Sex linked birds are not breeds/mixes that I will ever eat

I don't exactly blame you but what about a mature aggressive australorp rooster? They would have some meat on them if they really needed to be butchered. I dont really eat egg laying breeds in general but I would never eat Ameraucanas, Polish, Silkies, Marans, bantams, Pigeons, or Quail. Those birds are pets and really dont have much meat on them anyway.

 

[The Birb King]

I wish people would keep their personal views and preferences personal. Our local feed store won't sell you chicks if you want to grow them for meat - the owner wants all of them to live out their lives as layers or pets... (but won't take back or help rehome those that turn out to be roosters). Sigh. So much for supporting local family business - and off to TSC I go!

Eh I dont really blame the store owner. If they are not meat breeds, why not let them live out their life?