What is a heritage breed chicken???

[Willow's Meadow]

I might get some meat birds this summer but I don't know much about them. Originally I was just going to get them from Cackle Hatchery. But all they have is Cornish Rock Crosses(I think that's what they're called). Online it says you butcher them at 6 weeks of age. But then I heard about heritage breed chickens and that you butcher them when they are older then 6 weeks. But I don't know that much about heritage breed chickens. Do they get so big that they can't walk/move very easily like cornish chickens do??? Does their meat grow faster then their bone development???

 

[centrarchid]

Willow's Meadow :

I might get some meat birds this summer but I don't know much about them. Originally I was just going to get them from Cackle Hatchery. But all they have is Cornish Rock Crosses(I think that's what they're called). Online it says you butcher them at 6 weeks of age. But then I heard about heritage breed chickens and that you butcher them when they are older then 6 weeks. But I don't know that much about heritage breed chickens. Do they get so big that they can't walk/move very easily like cornish chickens do??? Does their meat grow faster then their bone development???

The heritage breeds used for dual purposes (meat and eggs) generally are 16 weeks or older at time of butchering, thus they grow much slower than typical commercial production breeds. Many of your heritage breeds as supposedly more tolerant of having to make their own way by foraging and tolerating the elements.​