Thoughts/experiences with the following breeds...

[Heffalump]

Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions on

- Welsummer
-Wyandotte
- New Hampshire Red
-Rhode Island Res
-Chantecler

Looking to start a self-sustaining flock with something that will reach table weight before it starts to crow.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Welsummers will most likely be too small for any meat projects. They're mainly layers

 

[Heffalump]

Welsummers will most likely be too small for any meat projects. They're mainly layers

I had only ever thought of them as layers too, but saw them on a list online and wondered if anyone had given them a go. I don't know anyone that has.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

Any breed will be edible depending on how big you wanna raise them my wyandottes are a decent size some of my males are massive but they are over a year so i wont eat them to tough for me but will eat cockerels at 5-10 weeks and they are so tender.

 

[Heffalump]

Any breed will be edible depending on how big you wanna raise them my wyandottes are a decent size some of my males are massive but they are over a year so i wont eat them to tough for me but will eat cockerels at 5-10 weeks and they are so tender.

What weight are you looking at roughly at 5-10 weeks?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Looking to start a self-sustaining flock with something that will reach table weight before it starts to crow.

I've had chicks start crowing as young as 3 weeks old!

Welsummer would not be my top choice, quirky in my experience.. Reds are just too (confident) aggressive. No Chantecler experience here.. But I'm very fond of the growth rate and table presence in the Wyandotte variety.. Plus they will likely have some individuals that brood their own chicks. Not prone to frostbite.

I usually harvest around 16 weeks. But also harvest later and adjust cooking method to slow and low or pressure. (3 -3.5# harvested weight)

Selection of breeding stock will matter..

Age of harvest matters, so does resting time to let rigor pass. Fresh harvested chickens are actually fresh for at least 2 weeks in my fridge with NO degradation or fowl smell!

I can't think of any heritage large fowl that would be worth my effort harvesting at 5 weeks old.

Fryer, broiler, roaster are words relative to age of harvest.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

What weight are you looking at roughly at 5-10 weeks?

Enough for a air fryer meal for one lol which is all im feeding so about 1-2lbs but at 18 weeks they are about 3-4lbs dressed. Over a year about 5-6lbs dressed

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I’ve kept RIR before and I am raising them again… I found them to be large nice birds, in fact the first bird my daughter used for her 4-H showmanship bird was a huge RIR hen (she was a tiny little kid) the bird was friendly, loved the attention and she trained it to do all the things (such as walk in a straight line) it voice commands. The other breeds we have not kept… except we have Cream Legbar x Welsummer hens right now, they lay large eggs, are good sized but I do not think as large as our Naked Necks… I need to order a bigger scale to be sure. But eyeballing them they are bigger than our Swedish Black and Pheonix… which are light breeds.

Hands down our biggest hen is a French Maran, and biggest chicks for their age group are our French Maran, Barred Rock and then the RIR chicks. I post how they chicks growing in my project. Anyway I hope this helps.

 

[MysteryChicken]

RIRs have decent amount of meat, from experience. I hate their attitudes though. Pretty much every rooster we got were Man Fighters/Human Aggressive. Same experience with New Hampshires.

I now just use specific crosses for meat, rather then going for one breed. EE/Brahma has been the best cross for meat so far. Besides Buff Orpington/Heritage Plymouth Barred Rock.

 

[CNJ]

Of those chickens on your list, I think the White Wyandotte from McMurray is the best for fry chicken. But if I was you, I would go with the Big Red Broilers or Red Rangers. They are table ready by 12 weeks and are good egg layers..............If crowing bothers you, go with the Cornish X. They are still chirping at the 8 week and at that time they weigh around 8 lbs.