Which is the best meat breed?

[chloezoebob101]

We need to get better meat breeds. Black sex and cornish cross are NOT what we are looking for. Black sex grows to slowly, and cornish to quickly, plus they look unhealthy. What about Buff orpingtons? Are they good?

 

[bigredfeather]

What about Buff orpingtons? Are they good?

They are if you don't mind waiting 20-24 weeks for them to grow out. Nice big leg quarters but little breast meat. I had a large batch of them. I processed some at 18 weeks, some at 20 weeks, and the last of them at 24 weeks. I was most satified with the dressed bird at 24 weeks. Maybe not all strains are the same, but that has been my expirience. And BTW, I am still hatching and raising them. They are great egg layers. BO's are the best true DP breed that I raise.

 

[chloezoebob101]

They are if you don't mind waiting 20-24 weeks for them to grow out. Nice big leg quarters but little breast meat. I had a large batch of them. I processed some at 18 weeks, some at 20 weeks, and the last of them at 24 weeks. I was most satified with the dressed bird at 24 weeks. Maybe not all strains are the same, but that has been my expirience. And BTW, I am still hatching and raising them. They are great egg layers. BO's are the best true DP breed that I raise.

We would wait that long
so you preferred the ones processed at 24 weeks? was it the flavor or texture?
Oh i know! They lay wonderfully!! We have four hens and we get 1 a day from each of them. (plus they are cute!!)

 

[bigredfeather]

We would wait that long
so you preferred the ones processed at 24 weeks? was it the flavor or texture?

I really liked the flavor, but the size is why I waited. At 18 and 20 weeks, I didn't get the size bird I wanted. If I am going to take the time and effort to process a chicken, I want to get some meat when I'm done.

 

[chloezoebob101]

I really liked the flavor, but the size is why I waited. At 18 and 20 weeks, I didn't get the size bird I wanted. If I am going to take the time and effort to process a chicken, I want to get some meat when I'm done.

Okay, thanks! =D

 

[loanwizard]

Try Freedom Rangers. 9-11 weeks, not the major Cornish problems, not that I have ever raised Cornish Cross, but the Freedom Rangers are doing well. I send my 1st batch of 100 to the Butcher May 9th.

 

[Buster52]

I really liked the flavor, but the size is why I waited. At 18 and 20 weeks, I didn't get the size bird I wanted. If I am going to take the time and effort to process a chicken, I want to get some meat when I'm done.

So you raise the BO for your table, and the CX and FRs for others? Or do you raise those for yourself, as well?

 

[Fred's Hens]

White Plymouth Rocks might satisfy you as being the right, inbetween bird. They're larger than most BSL birds, while slower and more "normal" than the CX. Finding a large bodied Delaware line would also fill the bill.

 

[Daisy8s]

My brother raised a batch of Dark Cornish on pasture. There were 17 birds and he used only one 40 lb bag of feed for their entire lifetime--he just scattered a cup in the chicken tractor at evening to get the birds to go inside for predator protection. They took a few weeks longer to fill out because they were pasture raised but they still filled out much faster than a dual purpose breed such as a Delaware (they tried and didn't like this breed). He liked how quickly the Dark Cornish came to size on pasture and the flavor of the meat.

 

[Buster52]

Very clever spam, there, Sandeep.