Wanting to start raising meat chickens.

[Backyard Bob]

Okay, thank you! I was just thinking i would have to restrict feeding and make them excessive. But i am no chicken genius!

 

[ozarkchicks]

there are cornish x that do survive for up to three years even, if they free range and you only feed them once a day then you may get a few to live to laying age and even beyond, that's what we are gonna try with our cornish x chick

 

[Backyard Bob]

Thank you!

 

[AgroUrica]

I would start out keeping for my personal use. Then I would sell the meat. The Cornish X you buy from hatcheries, can I keep a few hens back for breeding purposes?

I've checked extensively into this and have been discouraged from even making the attemp. And as others have pointed out, health problems are a significant issue. Also, these birds are hybrids, bred for fast growth and nothing else therefore one cannot predict accurately how the offspring will fare.

 

[rehric00]

What are the breeds that are cross bred to make a cornish x?

 

[ozarkchicks]

a very large White Rock hen is bred with a Cornish rooster. You can't really do this very well at home though. Then white rock hens and the Cornish roosters are specifically bread to be very large. Cornish X are a first generation line.

 

[bjoy0861]

You will love to get this once start to finish it is so rewarding

My, that is a lovely sink of death! Just kidding, they look great.

 

[1angelfaery]

I am new to this - I was reading another thread about canning chickens. It said that chickens should be refrigerated 24 hours or better, depending on weight, before canning or cooking/freezing or they are tough and stringy. Can someone educate me on this?

 

[bobbi-j]

I am new to this - I was reading another thread about canning chickens. It said that chickens should be refrigerated 24 hours or better, depending on weight, before canning or cooking/freezing or they are tough and stringy. Can someone educate me on this?

I can only share my experiences. I have canned many a chicken. Some sat in the refrigerator to thaw, some were refrigerated for a day or so until I had time to can them, and some haven't been refrigerated. I can't say that there is a difference. The chickens I can are mostly old, spent layers and the meat is always tender as can be.