What are the the best meat birds that grow up to 5 lbs or 6 lbs .

[chicken crazed 1o1]

Hi i am looking for a good meat breed that is 5 lbs or 6 lbs . no cornish cross

 

[chicken crazed 1o1]

Anyone ?

 

[Baymule]

check over on the meat birds section.

 

[chicken crazed 1o1]

were is that

 

[eatmorechicken]

Quote:
5-6 lbs Dressed or live? Are you looking for something with lots of breast meat, or is something that is long and slender ok?

 

[chicken crazed 1o1]

when dreesed and alive

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

How about Delawares? They used to be the meat bird of choice years ago before the cornish x's.

 

[al6517]

Plymouth White Rocks are always a good safe bet, big, fast growers and great chickens to own, if you can buy from a breeder even better, but if you have to go with inferior Hatchery birds the white rocks haven't been mix bred to death as often as all the other breeds.

 

[sourland]

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Sorry can't happen.

"Dressed" refers to birds that have been killed, plucked, and eviscerated.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

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The best birds to grow to that rate dressed? I think you have to be a bit more specific in what your looking for. Overall, cornish crosses are going to give you that weight in less than 9 weeks. Some DP roosters will never reach that weight dressed, and the ones that do are 18-24 weeks.... and even that's pushing it for 6 pounds.

Even at 6 pounds you're looking at a lot of bone to meat ratio and not the best quality of bird in my opinion. Honestly if your looking for a 6 pound dressed weight bird the Cornish cross is your answer. However if you aren't interested in the CX I would start thinking in terms of a lower weight class like 3-4 pounds. By the time DP roosters hit 6 pounds you are talking an older bird that's a little harder to cook.


I'm used to young roosters or CX's... but you can reach those goals.

Just about any heavy breed DP will get 6 pounds dressed weight if you buy from a breeder. Hatchery stock is skinny.