Sustainable Meat Birds

[Rosie42892]

I am not new to chickens, but I am very new to meat birds. I am looking to start a sustainable flock. I am not interested in hybrids simply because I would like to not have to purchase birds each year, and would like to raise my own instead. I am mainly looking for a Dual Purpose breed, with a focus on meat production. Does anyone have any breed recommendations? Thanks!

 

[srm220]

I am not new to chickens, but I am very new to meat birds. I am looking to start a sustainable flock. I am not interested in hybrids simply because I would like to not have to purchase birds each year, and would like to raise my own instead. I am mainly looking for a Dual Purpose breed, with a focus on meat production. Does anyone have any breed recommendations? Thanks!

You may want to do a search. there is a lot of info and opinions on this issue already on the board

 

[Rosie42892]

You may want to do a search. there is a lot of info and opinions on this issue already on the board

I had found a lot, but most was from a few years ago. I was just trying to get a new conversation going. Thanks!

 

[Elke Beck]

I am not new to chickens, but I am very new to meat birds. I am looking to start a sustainable flock. I am not interested in hybrids simply because I would like to not have to purchase birds each year, and would like to raise my own instead. I am mainly looking for a Dual Purpose breed, with a focus on meat production. Does anyone have any breed recommendations? Thanks!

My suggestion is find a breed that you like and with every generation select the ones that are the closest to your ideal for that breed. The culls will be very tasty when you eat them, and if you keep doing this you will eventually have your own strain of that breed that has the characteristics that you like. Everyone has a different opinion on which DP breed is best, and someone else liking a breed does not mean you will, too.

 

[Rosie42892]

My suggestion is find a breed that you like and with every generation select the ones that are the closest to your ideal for that breed. The culls will be very tasty when you eat them, and if you keep doing this you will eventually have your own strain of that breed that has the characteristics that you like. Everyone has a different opinion on which DP breed is best, and someone else liking a breed does not mean you will, too.

Thanks Great advice!

 

[Elke Beck]

Thanks Great advice!

Glad to help.

Onew breed I like are Buff Orpingtons. They are sweet tempered (mostly), grow pretty quickly, produce a nicely fleshed out carcass at 14 to 20 weeks, and are not hard on the eyes.

 

[BCMaraniac]

Glad to help.

Onew breed I like are Buff Orpingtons. They are sweet tempered (mostly), grow pretty quickly, produce a nicely fleshed out carcass at 14 to 20 weeks, and are not hard on the eyes.

I like Orpingtons. I have one Buff hen and one each lavender rooster and hen. The roo is so well mannered, easy on the girls, and protects them very well. I have two French Black Copper Marans cockerels at about 18 weeks, who are acting like teenage boys, and are after the girls. Of course they end up quarreling with each other, and my Orpington roo just lets them....by the time they get finished with their disagreement, the girl they were feuding over is long gone.

 

[bj taylor]

I too am interested in a sustainable flock. I accidentally bought a jersey giant, thinking I was buying an australorp. I ultimately had to kill the rooster because he was so rough on my hens. the thing is, his problem was directly related to his size, not his temperament. if he'd had girls big enough to handle him, he would have been a great rooster. he was a year old & weighed about 12 pounds. I didn't dress him out, so I don't know what he was dressed weight - but he had a lot of meat on him.
he was very protective (fought off a hawk), but never human aggressive. he wasn't friendly. in fact, he was down right suspicious of me - but not once did he offer aggression. he was hard on the girls only because of his size. he foraged very well and put a lot of his weight in his breast. I've got two chicks of his that i'm going to be very interested in how they turn out.
i'm going to give jersey giants more thought.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I too am interested in a sustainable flock. I accidentally bought a jersey giant, thinking I was buying an australorp. I ultimately had to kill the rooster because he was so rough on my hens. the thing is, his problem was directly related to his size, not his temperament. if he'd had girls big enough to handle him, he would have been a great rooster. he was a year old & weighed about 12 pounds. I didn't dress him out, so I don't know what he was dressed weight - but he had a lot of meat on him.
he was very protective (fought off a hawk), but never human aggressive. he wasn't friendly. in fact, he was down right suspicious of me - but not once did he offer aggression. he was hard on the girls only because of his size. he foraged very well and put a lot of his weight in his breast. I've got two chicks of his that i'm going to be very interested in how they turn out.
i'm going to give jersey giants more thought.

I have heard that giants don't have the greatest feed conversion, and that because of their large size and bone structure, it takes longer to get them filled out for dressing, though they are big when they get there!! I bought 6 male white giants with my red rangers a couple of weeks ago, and am going to caponize them. I found out after I ordered that there have been giants upwards of 20 pounds when they are caponized.....I can't even imagine!!

 

[Elke Beck]

I found out after I ordered that there have been giants upwards of 20 pounds when they are caponized.....I can't even imagine!!

. Dang it, BCMaraniac! Do you know how much it hurts when my eyes do that!?!

A 20 pound chicken boggles the mind! That's turkey sized! You have to keep us posted on this project. I want to know if you get a 20 pounder.