What mix are Ideal's black broilers?

[clkingtx]

Just that, anybody know? I got 25 or so of them, and there is a wide variety of appearances and sizes, so I was wondering what breeds they use to make the black broilers.

Thanks,

Carrie

 

[jayzee]

I am wondering about this too, since they have the special running now.

Jen

 

[clkingtx]

I know, .99 each is a good price to pay for a chick! I just got 25 or so of them in yesterday, and they are quite varied in appearance, some that are really blocky and heavy, to some that are a good deal smaller and lighter(in weight). Their colors are slightly different, too. Some have yellow bellies, some have white, some have white spots on their faces, some have solid faces. Some have white wing tips, some don't. It is funny, I just got some black copper marans in from txfresh(really nice chicks, and really nice dealing with him) this morning, and some of the black broilers look just like the bcm chicks, except without the feathers on the legs. I am really looking forward to seeing what the black broilers turn out to look like!

Carrie

 

[maf2008]

I spoke to one of the sales reps that I know well... she said they are a mix of Dark Cornish and Black Austrolorp. My FAVORITE are the Red Broilers they are very colorful... red, yellows and orange! the hens lay like RIR.... great layers and weigh 8/1/2 lb hens and 10 lb roos. The Red Broilers are cross Darc Cornish and RIR... so I am told... hope this helps!

 

[Mahonri]

There is so much to learn about chickens and cross breeding.

 

[clkingtx]

Thanks, maf2008, that is what I wanted to know. So with the broilers, are their lifespans limited like the traditional white cornish crosses? At what age do you butcher the males to get 8 1/2 - 10 lbs? The hens that lay good, do they live long, and are they healthy?
thanks,
Carrie

 

[jayzee]

Thanks to the OP for asking the question and to those who answered as well. I just ordered 40 to raise on pasture and will find out myself soon!

Jen

 

[maf2008]

Quote:
No these are not white boiler crosses these red or black broilers are called "slow broilers" and do not have leg or heart problems. They grow a little slower but get BIG and pretty. contrary to Ideals website.. they are great layers and one of my favorite breeds! I am keeping the hens/ black and red and crossing back with the red broiler and a pure dark cornish for "meat mutts" and expect to have some of them to reach about 10 lbs too. Just my 2 cents (I put my first batch in the bator today and cant wait to see what I get!)

 

[maf2008]

You can butcher at 16 weeks... a few weeks longer for full 11 lb size. But you will have 9 lb broilers (black or red) at 11/12 weeks

 

[poultry bro]

I bought 5 of them to go with my 30 or so Cornish rocks just to try them but we butchered at 11 weeks for the blacks and 10 for the whites we butchered at the same time but the blacks where 1 week older and I will say this the blacks where very disappointing on size but they got an A plus in flavor because the whites where surely less in flavor but I said from the start we will keep any hens from the batch if the blacks are not huge so we got 4 males and 1 female and she is in the growout pen with my other chicks of similar age she will join the flock soon and she is definably not a meat bird her future is a egg layer to bad her brothers could not have a life on the ranch but I had 8 roosters that where not going to replace them and I don't have the facilities for 4 more roosters any way. Any way these birds are not a preferred meat bird and would not advise these birds to anyone wanting a huge carcass as for the cross they are in fact dark Cornish and black astrolorp. P.S. my new breeding project is to cross my black broiler hen to my black jersey giant cockerel I hope to get a huge broiler and I will surely share my results. By the way sorry for the length I talk a lot