Want something other than Cornish X

[snowhorse]

I got some Cornish X and Cornish Roasters from McMurray hatchery.

I really can't stand the way they smell and how fast they grow kind of freak me out. I can't stay on top of how much poop they produce, and they refuse to move so cleaning the pen is terrible.

This is my first experience with them and I can't wait to take them to get processed tomorrow.

If I do meat birds again, I would like something that can free range (I know Cornish supposidly can, but mine don't do much but sit) and are slower growers. I would like something that has been able to eat what it wants and me not to have to feed it so much!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Colored Rangers are a nice breed to get, or some large fowl roosters such as BO, BR, or BA.

 

[snowhorse]

Where do you get Colored Rangers?

And how big do they get? And at what age do you usually process them?

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Can we make this topic a sticky? I am tired of hashing and rehashing this topic every week, I am sure that I am not the only one that feels this way!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Here's some resources for you:

http://www.jmhatchery.com/free-range-broiler/colored-range-chicks/prod_5.html?review=read

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=72292797784&ref=mf&_fb_noscript=1

 

[snowhorse]

I think its kind of an imporant topic on meat birds. I was looking for a sticky with info, I have typed it into the search but just wasn't coming up anything.

 

[TimG]

The search engine used to work well, but a few weeks ago it started failing and hasn't been fixed.

The Colored Rangers or Freedom Rangers can be found at JM Hatchery. In 12 weeks, they grow to about the same size as a Cornish Cross does in 7-8 weeks. I had one last year that dressed out over 8 pounds, but he was maybe 15 weeks old.

ETA: Yes, they will free range much better than the Cornish Crosses. I had a few last year that ran with the laying flock for a while.

 

[chickencrazymom]

We did regular cornish cross , and couldn't wait until slaughter , we looked for something else and found the color range from J&M , we had VERY good luck with them ! We had some huge 8 lb. birds , and some smaller 5 lb. ones. They sent us 25 , and they threw in a free one , and all 26 made it to slaughter day ! We lost 5 cornish x before slaughter.They are also good people to deal with. Hope this helps !

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Ya I agree, they should sticky the information about different meat birds so it's not a routine question. Maybe someone can put something together.....

 

[Buster52]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

hashing and rehashing this topic every week,

That goes for about 90% of the threads in this part of the forum. Gonna make them all stickies?

Somebody asks a question, let people who want to answer it do so, those that don't, don't.

To the OP... if I wanted something that grew fairly big fairly fast, I would go with the Freedom Rangers from JM Hathcery, if I didn't mind ordering them every season... which I do.

Mind, I mean.

I prefer a nice, meaty heritage breed like the standard Dark Cornish.​