"Why we have Chickens" Poll comment

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
oh...I hope that wasnt to me

I wasnt meaning to have that comment come across like that, and if so I am sorry. I personally dont have an issue with the meat birds or people who raise them at all. I was just saying it doesnt seem quite right to me to have a bird who is inclined to eat like that... it does not seem like much of an existence. However, I do think they taste wonderful! So, I am of two minds about it... I would prefer to have the dual purpose birds, cos I think the quality of life is better overall for them. But on the other hand, I may get a few of the cornish x one day for freezer camp. Eitherway, as long as they are treated humanely in the end, that is what matters most to me... that they have the opportunity to experience life and enjoy what they have of it.

No... No... not directed towards anyone. I have no hard feelings towards anyones statements. I just smile at them thats all. They are what they are and the cornish x's are on another level as far as chicken.... but they are still chickens. Either they are for you... or they aren't.

Yeah they are messy but given the amount of weight they put on... and the amount of feed they eat... they are going to poop more than normal chickens. I mean look at this way, a chicken that takes 16 weeks to get 5 lbs live weight is going to have the same amount of manure than a cornish x that gets that same weight in just 7 weeks. It seems like a lot more because your seeing double the amount... but as a result your getting double the chicken.

I just see all the negative feed back from cornish x's and honestly it's mostly managment issues as sometimes these birds can be very overwhelming for the begginer.... but if you dive into raising dual purposes first, then go to cornish x than you will see why they are so highly thought of in the poultry industry. The poop factor becomes something you live with and manage around. I put them outside in tractors as early as possible before the manure is a proplem. Manure is easily managed when it's left behind in the grass 2-3 times a day.

But again... I didn't take your remarks personal... I never do. Everyone has their opinion and that's what makes this forum interesting!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

You don't have to raise the 'meaties' (cornish x) for meat. You can eat any breed of chicken. We have only raised the cornish birds once. We eat RIRs, BOs, and BRs....all free range birds. Happy, healthy, clean, active, and fun to watch.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I didn't say they wouldn't range. I said they have a decreased desire to forage. Big difference. And no, I don't consider 100yds much movement from a free-range chicken.

You said " they have little to no desire to forage" to me that would mean they barely forage, if at all... or... it would come of to me as they have no desire to range to find food... (forage). So under your description of them I would say 100 yards would be a mile compared to your experiences with them... So ya I would say little to no desire... compared to 100 yards.... Is a BIG difference... What do you think they are doing when they are ranging... playing tag? ... no they are foraging for food.

How very idealistic. If this were the case I'd stop cleaning the toilets, weeding the garden, doing the dishes, folding the laundry and getting up early to get my kids to school and myself to work, too.

Well when it comes to a "job" or running a buisness I would say if you don't like it... find a new one. Why do something you already said you hate....

Even when I was raising a lesser number just for us, I never enjoyed the meat chickens. But as it got bigger and bigger it also became more and more a chore that I absolutely dreaded.

Do something that makes you happy... obviously meat chickens is not it. But the whole doing the dishes, getting up early, and laundry thing... your out of luck on that one.... LOL... that's life at it's finest.. But controlling what you do for a living... I'd say is an easy fix.

No, not a wake up call at all. I don't buy meat from the store. And even if I did, I'm well aware of where it comes from (which is why I don't buy it). Even then, the breed of chicken has little to do with what MOST people are "against" in conventional meat production, which is the conditions in which the animals are raised. Raising meat birds at home gives people the opportunity to avoid supporting THAT. What breed they choose to raise really has very little to do with it other than enjoyment.

Good for you, but your not the only one that posted about meat chickens being a disgust to raise. It was a general statement as some despise the meat chickens to no end... but will have them for dinner at McDonalds. I like to go out to eat every now and then and it's hard to find a meat product that isn't from the fastest growing "freakish" thing out there... Most people here that are against raising cornish x's are against them because they are "repulsive. They're lazy, stinky, stupid, PITAs" not because they are raised conventionally... They are not easy to raise, they aren't as maintence free as some of the dual purpose... making it a bit of a "chore" to take care of them. Which is why people don't like raising them. According to threads I've read in the past they eat too much, poop too much, lazy, stinky, stupid, PITA's, what else.... ummm... they are repulsive, not sustainable, do not forage, die too easy, too fragile, do not take to changes well, weak legs, too many health problems, they grow way too fast.... and the list is ongoing.

However JMHO I think that people don't want to put the work in, it's easy to criticize the breed and call it quits and stick to eggs. I think the reason why the numbers are so low in this poll is the fact it's time consuming, expensive, and it's a lot of work to raise your own chickens for meat. In todays society... who would want to do such a thing when they can go to the store and by a chicken for $0.79 / pound. I think you should rephrase your description about the meat birds and use them to describe the way we (as a society) eat and act.... Raising chickens for eggs is easy... requires very little work to supply a family with eggs. You can buy feeders and waters that last a week.... with the right equipment... all that is needed is the gathering of eggs everyday.

So ya when people raise egg layers first and see how easy it is, then they think they can raise meat chickens. Then to find out.... it's not what BYC described.... It's not fun to take an animals life after you have raised it for 7 weeks, sometimes longer. It's a big wake up call for a lot of people. A lot of respect is given to the farmer that does this for a living after they have gone through and done it themselves.

I too would be out of business if all people decided to raise their own meat. But you won't find me assuming only cornish crosses can provide me competition. They produce meat quicker, but with a little work a very good dual purpose flock can provide a wonderful stock as well. Know your market, your product and ALL of your competition

If someone has just a dual purpose flock and tries to compete with one that has a cornish x flock... it's not going to be much competition... especially if the one that is raising the cornish x's knows about the benefits that a dual purpose breed has... and decides to raise both.

You can't expect to make money off of dual purpose breeds unless you charge a premium price. However if you charge a premium price you lose the quanity of your customers. I think you will find that out when you switch over to a dual purpose flock. JMHO... I think that you will have more respect for the Cornish x if you choose to stay in this buisness after you start your dual purpose flock.

I really found it odd that you despise these birds so much... after they made you a living? I can't think of a dual purpose bird that is going to make you the amount of money the Cornish x has... A couple things to think of is not only will you lose customers to price change... but you will also lose them from shock... the meat from a dual purpose birds are stringy.... firmer... oddly shapped compared to what they are used to, and not as much meat(more bone).

If I come off too strong... sorry... I honestly have nothing but good to say about the breed and what it has done for the people of this world. So it's natural for me to defend the breed... and my buisness. I see so many expressing their feeling about the breed... I have every right to express mine too.​

 

[Crickett]

I don't raise chickens strictly for meat, mainly because until this forum, I didn't know you could. I thought everyone had dual pupose birds. However, now that I know you can, I'm thinking about raising a few meaties next spring. Probably only about 25 or so though.

 

[saddina]

I'd think that quite a few people have situations like mine, I live within "city" limits, and the laws limit me to 5, all hens. Makes no sence to raise meaties 5 at a time.

However my Granny got "grandfathered" in when her land was added to city limits. She can have all the chickens she wants, so she raises the meaties on her land, and we all show up on processing days (you'll find me brining and monotoring temps in the garage & kitchen). Many people don't have the option to do meaties.

 

[Bossroo]

A chicken is a prey animal. All prey animals forage for their food as fast as they can then go find a hiding place to rest, chew their cud and otherwise digest their food, take a dust bath and preen their feathers. If they stayed out in the open running around all of the time , they would be dinner for a predator in short order. So, why is any chicken expected to be merrily running around wily nily all day advertising their McNuggets to every predator out there? An egg type chicken is small, is flighty and can move quite fast (think as in a wide receiver) , and lays lots of eggs and are NOT expected to produce much meat. Only a little meat to accent the dumlings with flavor when their egg laying carrier is done. It's in their genes. The dual purpose type chicken is much more docile and can move but not as fast ( think as in a linebacker). They lay fewer eggs but produce more meat. That too is in their genes. While a meat type chicken is much more docile and puts on much more mass in a short amount of time , therefore it can't move fast at all ( think as in a down lineman on steroids or a summo wrestler). They are not expected to lay a quantity of eggs, but they are expected to produce a HUGE quantity of meat. To do so they need a huge quantity of consentrated high calorie food and a safe small space for their couch potato life style. Running around the meadow just will not do, or they will not fulfill their destiny. That too is in its' genes. Know what is required for the chickens' life's requirements for their well being and CATER to them and they will reward one with a finger lickin' dinner.

 

[kingmt]

I must have all lazy chickens because none of my chickens go much beyond 100yards from the coop. There is plenty for them to eat in the yard. All kinds of bugs. We did have problems with bugs getting in the house but rarely see one inside now. I hate using bug spray so I'm very thankful the chickens get them before they get in.

I'm out of meaties right now but ready to order again because this is the only chicken I have eaten that I like the taste of. I don't like store bought chicken. I don't feed my birds all day ether. All of my chickens eat bread or scraps after they have been out for 2 or 3 hours & I give them a little grain at the end of the day before they roost. My meaties get treated the same as the others & live the same as the others. My meaties take a little longer to grow then some others claim theirs do but I don't spend as much in feed. The only differences I see in them & the heavies is the heavies will fly a few feet off the ground for 50 yards & the meaties might make it a foot off the ground for a few feet. I did have one meaty that acted like all the bad things people say about them & died from heat stress. This is the only bird that I lost from heat so I say it was a weak bird from hatch.

My kids named the meat birds after a few weeks. Ones name was Monday Dinner, one Tuesday Dinner, & so on. My 6 & 4 year old help in the killing & cleaning up. In a few years they will be expected to help with the butchering.

I hope all of these bad comments does not deter a want to be meat raiser because these birds will live however you want to raise them. If someone put food in your mouth & you didn't have to do anything you would more then likely you would be fat & lazy also.

I have also heard that these birds won't roost but mine like it somewhere between 4' & 7' off the ground. I don't think I would ever see one 20' in the air but even the bantams normally go over 7' to roost at night.

 

[pixie74943]

Quote:
Being the Uni kid I am I have to point out, the Poll would have reached a random sample of people (most likely those whose read the 'recent posts' section), which is the quickest and most efficient way to get a general opinion.

When newspapers and such report on an opinion poll, or say such and such political party is more popular and you think 'hey, I never voted for that', its because a random sample was used. sometimes that sample is as small as 1% of the population, depends how lazy your researchers are.

Okay, End off topic self righteousness.. sorry that got away from me there.

I dont understand why you would raise meaties EVER. Notorious for broken legs, heart problem, and being lazy boring stupid pigs. 'Normal' Chickens you dont have to regulate the feed, broilers are to dumb to realise their fat and dying.

A dual-purpose flock is definately the way to go as far as I see it. Processing all the unwanted extras roos would give you a reasonable amount, and if you wanted you could process the hens as well, or raise them for eggs.

Seems much more sustainable than buying a batch of chicks and processing them all. And if you have a broody hen hatch out your own fertile eggs, cant get any closer to 'free' meat than that.

ETA: I guess it's important to say that I would and plan to butcher my own birds when I get older, or ask my bf to do it for me if it turns out I'm squeamish. Currently I live at home with my parents though, and i dont think they'd approve

 

[Milliemay]

Gee, glad my experience with the meaties wasn't as appalling some. We will be doing more next year and the year after, and the year after.....I guess we just looked at it as another job to get done for our family in a cheaper, healthier way than depending on others. But, we have a different outlook on things than most I guess.

ETA-Couldn't get myself to boil those feet though, that was too much!

 

[kingmt]

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I've never tried it but I'm excited to see what it is like. I told my wife to boil them & make some noodles for a church get together this spring.