turkeys or Cornish cross?

[Geena]

Depends. I believe cornish chickens make me sad, they can barely walk and I don’t know, make me sad. I don’t really like turkey meat, but I’d rather grow happy birds than a genetically mistake.
That’s the main reason one grows meat on one’s own. Because meat and chicken industries are brutal.

I agree that factory farming is awful, but cornish X are not a genetic mistake, they are a genetic marvel! Home raised CX are not sad if you give them a good, albeit short, life. You'd have to raise and kill 3 times as many dual purpose birds to match the CX.

 

[rollinrockell]

I agree that factory farming is awful, but cornish X are not a genetic mistake, they are a genetic marvel! Home raised CX are not sad if you give them a good, albeit short, life. You'd have to raise and kill 3 times as many dual purpose birds to match the CX.

I try to make sure my Cornish are very content. no one needs to suffer. There's worse way to go than having fresh grass, sunshine and a buffet of food. I like the idea of just buying a few turkeys at thanksgiving, an easier way to go all around as far as turkeys go.

 

[rollinrockell]

Tbh, this is my feel on meat birds. Our duck and chicken eggs (and they themselves) are so valued im happy with that productivity.
Bait, the beach and a few hours of enjoyment are my preferred and MUCH cheaper way to stock up on fresh proteins.
Zombie apocalypse not withstanding that is.
Course then there is my crossbow and the woods.... venison tacos
No criticism of raising meat birds implied at all tho. I see how it can make perfect sense.

I love fishing but unfortunately don't have enough time to go a lot. Living the American dream with work. . And as far as hunting , I just cant do it. I don't have any problems with others doing it, its just not for me.

 

[Regina Larsen]

I love fishing but unfortunately don't have enough time to go a lot. Living the American dream with work. . And as far as hunting , I just cant do it. I don't have any problems with others doing it, its just not for me.

I get u. To each our own.

 

[Coops Dad]

I raise both CXs and BBWs for meat along with a few heritage turkeys for fun and a lot of egger chickens. The CXs are kept in a separate high-fence one acre pasture because they're incapable of defending themselves from the chicken pecking order. The BBW turkeys, once they're the size of an adult chicken, are integrated into the CX flock. I've never had a turkey harm a CX but, then again, the CXs aren't around for long. Both get the same high protein meat birds feed and are basically grazing on the pasture all day.

I buy the chicks and poults usually in March or early April. I plant a mix of purple vetch, field peas, clover, fava beans, millet and sunflowers at the end of winter and usually put the birds on it around the end of April or early May. The turkeys will forage with gusto but the CXs will only eat what they can reach from where they're sitting.

The CXs size up quickly and are ready to process in 8 or 10 weeks. The turkeys get much bigger, of course, but need at least 4-5 months to reach butcher size. I just processed 3 more BBWs this weekend and the smallest was 28 lbs live weight at 6 months. I have one BBW left. She's huge, probably 35 lbs with feet that leave dinosaur-like tracks in the mud.

My two cents is that 10 easily handled CXs that are table ready in 2 months is an easier project than 2 BBWs. Faster and easier to grow out and faster and easier to process. The boneless/skinless breast halves of the BBWs I butchered weighed 3 lbs+ each. We ended up with a little more than 15 lbs of ground turkey and 25 lbs+ of breasts and thighs. The CXs I processed a few weeks ago ended up as carcasses weighing between 5lbs +/- and 7.5 lbs +/-.

I keep the necks, livers, gizzards and hearts separate for making gravy. I simmer those bits in the grease and juices from the roasted bird, then add s&p, cream and corn starch.

 

[alan stockert]

I would stick with Cornish. cross. I have had both turkeys and Cornish cross at one time or another . The chickens will get 8 t0 10 lbs in several months