What do yall think of this mix?

[FrankHomestead]

My family does eat a lot of chicken. for my very first slaughter I will most likely only process 1 or 2 birds, and gradually do more at a time. and once I feel comfortable doing it, involve my family to help and teach them. I'm thinking around 10-15 birds a month as I also plan on raising Hereford swine and Jersey steers. Yes I will need multiple freezers

 

[FrankHomestead]

Not to mention growing my own feed and produce for the family...I'm going to be a very busy mama!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I see your point, but regardless I do not want to raise the freakish cornishx lol I respect that a lot of you do and understand why, I would just rather work with heritage breeds/crosses. it just feels more natural to me I guess

The birds that I linked to are not Cornish Cross. They are broiler breeds with medium growth rates, rather than the very slow that you are proposing with your cross. Jersey Giants are not nearly full grown at 20 weeks is what I am getting at, but I guess if you are at 6# by that time then it about the same as the broiler birds with just another couple of months of feed and care invested. My pullet is almost 6 months old and I estimate she is at 7-8 pounds but I will try to weigh her this evening. If my guess is right, then she is only 3/4 grown at 6 months.

ETA I personally do not raise any meat birds. I only butcher extra cockerels that I cannot sell. I am actually trying to eat less and less meat but my husband makes it hard. Store bought meat is cheaper but I do feel better eating the birds that had a good healthy life. If I was going to raise meat birds, I would definitely choose one of the "freedom ranger" type birds over cornish X though. Like you, the whole Cornish X thing makes my stomach turn, though their short lifespan is a blessing when it comes to the factory farms and their living conditions.

 

[FrankHomestead]

The birds that I linked to are not Cornish Cross. They are broiler breeds with medium growth rates, rather than the very slow that you are proposing with your cross. Jersey Giants are not nearly full grown at 20 weeks is what I am getting at, but I guess if you are at 6# by that time then it about the same as the broiler birds with just another couple of months of feed and care invested. My pullet is almost 6 months old and I estimate she is at 7-8 pounds but I will try to weigh her this evening. If my guess is right, then she is only 3/4 grown at 6 months.

ETA I personally do not raise any meat birds. I only butcher extra cockerels that I cannot sell. I am actually trying to eat less and less meat but my husband makes it hard. Store bought meat is cheaper but I do feel better eating the birds that had a good healthy life. If I was going to raise meat birds, I would definitely choose one of the "freedom ranger" type birds over cornish X though. Like you, the whole Cornish X thing makes my stomach turn, though their short lifespan is a blessing when it comes to the factory farms and their living conditions.

Oh OK I gotcha. Well I have read bo are ready for processing by 24 weeks, so not sure if the cross would meet somewhere in the middle. I am OK with the wait and time invested, it will definitely be a long wait the first time around until I get my flock established and space out the hatchings. if I do need some hatchlings during cold month's, do you think I will need to incubate? I don't think hens go broody in the cold, right? Maybe I can avoid that all together. I need to find a breeder near me and pick their brain

 

[SunHwaKwon]

My hens raise chicks even in winter, if I let them but I have a lot of bantams, which are prone to broodiness. I don't know how broody BOs and JGs are. In any case, egg production will likely be down in the winter so that will also be a limiting factor to how much incubating you can do in the winter.

 

[FrankHomestead]

My hens raise chicks even in winter, if I let them but I have a lot of bantams, which are prone to broodiness. I don't know how broody BOs and JGs are. In any case, egg production will likely be down in the winter so that will also be a limiting factor to how much incubating you can do in the winter.

That's true. Will have to stock up before end of autumn lol I've read a lot about bo broodiness, and just recently read a little on jg broodiness. I think the match will make good meaty docile birds. I want the weight of the jerseys, but the hens crush their eggs under their weight so they have a hard time hatching out their chicks. it seems like the perfect scenario to me. I'll have to wait and find out! I may be open to a different breed hen to cross if there is a better option. But from what I've read they are decent size themselves and taste really good!

 

[FrankHomestead]

If I breed the offspring crosses, do you see a problem arising? maybe less hybrid vigor?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

It takes several generations for any issues to arise, so as long as you are starting with multiple females and ideally if you can get two males from unrelated sources (depending on how many hens you plan to keep) then you should have no worries.

 

[FrankHomestead]

Maybe an option would be just breed jg and have a couple silkies for hatching? I really don't want silkiest though. I know a lot of ppl love them but I think they are the ugliest things ever

 

[FrankHomestead]

It takes several generations for any issues to arise, so as long as you are starting with multiple females and ideally if you can get two males from unrelated sources (depending on how many hens you plan to keep) then you should have no worries.

Oh that's great to know