What is the best meat breed for me?

[Oregon Blues]

Dorkings are not heavy layers. They tend to be seasonal. They go broody easily and they don't lay when they are brooding. They are a great farm bird and forage well, but you aren't going to get the number of eggs that you get from any breed developed to be a laying hen.

Some of the Dorking breeders have increased laying as one of their goals. Any Dorking will give you more than enough eggs to raise all the fryers that you want, but 150 eggs a year would be considered very generous. You might not get any eggs at all in the fall and winter.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is a lot of difference in strains. Breeds have tendencies, but strains are very important.

As an example, if I can believe the article. They did show some pictures. To demonstrate selective breeding, someone divided a flock in half and started breeding one for large size. He bred the other for small size. Several generations later, the average bird in one flock is 9 times as heavy as the avarege bird in the other flock. These are from the same original ancestors.

From what you said in your other thread, the breeder down the road has a good reputation and some good quality birds. I suggest you talk to him about your goals and see what he recommends. If he is good, he knows his birds and he knows what traits he has been breeding toward. We can tell you what the tendencies of breeds are. His strains may not follow those tendencies. If he is good, he will be able to help you with his birds a lot better than we can.

 

[CityGoneCountry]

Quote:
How large do the Cornish get and how quickly? Been spoiled here with the Cornish X Rocks, but ready to start breeding own.

 

[Connorrm]

I'm going to try raising chants in the spring. I have some cold winters on the ny vt border. Will probably take a few years to get a decent meat size. They can self sustain, and are quite the attractive bird.