They are just not gaining weight!!!

[nicalandia]

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[bigredfeather]

This Spring I bought and hatched some Buff Orpintons in hopes of finding a pure breed that I would be able to use as a good meat bird, that I could continue to hatch myself and have a self substaining meat bird flock. Last week I butchered 6 of the roos that were 22-23 weeks old and 2 Welsummer roos that were almost 28 weeks old. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED. They looked huge with all their feather, but when the feathers came off, underneath them was a skinny carcus. Legs were very small, there was no breast meat, and the wing bones where long, big in diameter, and the meat was really tough. I started them off on 21% chick starter and switched to a 18% grower feed at 16 weeks, not to mention all the kitchen scraps and extra garden stuff I gave them. Prior to starting the BO's, I swore I would never raise Cornishes again. Three days after butchering the BO's, I ordered 75 Cornishes from Meyer Hatchery. To go thru all the time and feed it took to get the BO's to 3 lbs, I could have done almost 3 batches of Cornishes, and had 4 times as much meat in the freezer w/ a slightly higher amount of feed . So for now, I'm back on the CX bandwagon.

I was very happy with the carcus from my extra 16 week old Buckeye roos that I butchered a while back. They looked very similar to a butchered Cornish X. Problem is that I am still working on a flock of Buckeyes big enough to fill up the freezer. Until then, I will continue to raise the CX's. They are nasty eating/pooping/lazy birds, but they taste great, are relatively easy to raise, and very cost and time effective compared to the "dual purpose" breeds that are out there. I'm sure some breeds are better than others, but for me, it's not worth it.

 

[sonew123]

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oooh very well put! To bad I didnt read this months ago when I bought that frying pan special!

 

[nicalandia]

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oooh very well put! To bad I didnt read this months ago when I bought that frying pan special!

 

[vkp23]

I've looked around and have decided to go one of two routes as I want a bird that can sustain a flow of meat. I think I'm going to get more turkens as my turken hen is one of my bigger birds with a bigger breast and/or black and white giants. According to McMurray the giats while they don't get as big as the Cornish X Rocks they do get bigger than other "heavy breeds" and because they grow slower they don't run the risk of leg lung and heart problems and so can grow to sexual maturity. Ideas?