Wyandottes or Orpingtons as meat birds?

[AinaWGSD]

My husband and I are looking into getting some chickens to raise in our backyard. I want them primarily for eggs, but he is really interested in raising some for meat. Anyone have any experience with either of these breeds as meat birds?

 

[lelystad]

Orpingtons are fine meat birds but I read that Australorps (Australian Utility Orpingtons) are much better tasting, they lay better than orps. as well. I have no idea on wyandottes but I really wonder how do they taste as well. White wyandottes looks very promising to me.

 

[snowflake]

We had wyandotts and orpington and brahmas(too many roosters) last year. Feb 29 to Aug. we may not have feed them right mostly layer feed. Never had chickens before so we didn't know any better. They were very tough. ended up using them for dog food. dogs thought they were good.

 

[Olive Hill]

Of those two Orpingtons would be your best bet for meat purposes. Wyandottes, IME, just don't have a decent carcass.

Like someone else mentioned though you might also consider some other dual purpose breeds like the Australorp, Brahma and Dorking -- all known to be a great choice for both meat and eggs.

I think usually, while diet does place a role in meat development and taste, the tough factor comes into play most in processing and preparation.

 

[iajewel]

I have had many breeds over the years and Im sold on Orpingtons. They lay very well, do set, and are great mothers. If you don't wait to long to butcher the roosters ( thats how they get tough) you will never eat a better fryer or roasting bird. They have more fat then most breeds, thus they are excellent winter layers.
The Wyondot doesn't get as fat I don't think, its a nice fryer but when you butcher its not as plump and not as juicy as not as much fat. As layers they aren't bad but don't hang on as long in the winter I dont' think. I also think the roosters are mean as they come, while the Orp roos are sweet.
I start my chicks on starter, but most of my birds live all summer on what they can find. I don't really feed them. Just a bit of whole corn in the evening to make sure everyone comes back in at bed time and I can count heads or worm/pour as needed that way. In the winter I feed them well but all summer they are on their own for the most part and the Orps do great.
I now have good show quality Blue Orps in the bator but in the past I have had hatchery buffs and did very well with them.

 

[petrelline]

I don't have experience actually eating either orpingtons or wyandottes, but I have a couple of both in the growout pen right now, and the orpingtons are definitely more what I like to see in a meat bird. They're a much bigger bird, for one thing, with a fuller body and nice big legs. The wyandottes are lovely birds with a nice compact shape and pretty feathering (I have the blue-laced red), but comparatively there just isn't a lot of meat there.

The orps are also really friendly and and outgoing -- they're always out in the yard foraging and following me around looking for goodies. The wynandotte is more stand-offish and keeps to itself.

If it were me I'd choose the orps.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Thanks, gives us something to consider. Anyone know about how long it takes either of these breeds to fill out enough for processing?

 

[Olive Hill]

It'll depend on what you feed them, how you keep them and what size carcass you're wanting, but generally speaking you're looking at 16-24 weeks. You will never get a carcass out of them like you find in the supermarket -- big, white breasted -- but they'll make a decent bird by that point.

 

[dancingbear]

I've had all of the above, my 'lorps laid just as well as the Orps, but were a little lighter weight, so not as much meat on them. My 'lorps brooded, the Orps never did, except one hen, one time. But I think that depends on the line they came from, some lines are brooder than others. I have no idea which lines, though.

Wyandottes are lighter than Orps, too, and are also non-broody types. As for the roos temperament, IMO, it's a crap-shoot. I've only ever had one human aggressive roo, and that was a big, beautiful, buff Orpington.

My Brahmas I loved, big, meaty, good brooders and good moms, the roos have mostly been really nice. They didn't like to be handled by people, but were not attack roos, either, and they were usually very sweet to the hens, and still protective and watchful.

I now have a line of birds with various degrees of Brahma (some light, some buff) mixed in, they're gorgeous, and make good meat birds, and many are brooders and make wonderful moms.

They get filled out pretty well around 18-25 weeks. By that age, they are not broilers or fryers, they need to be cooked long and slow in order to be tender. Let the meat rest in the fridge at least 48 hours, I've aged mine as long as a week, before either freezing them or cooking.

You can slow roast them in a pan with a lid, or in an oven bag, (so they don't dry out) for 3-5 hours at a very low temp, I mean low, 275F-300F. I use a clay chicken cooker with a lid, a Litton Simmerpot.

The crock pot is also a good choice, or a pressure cooker. I set the crock pot on low, and let it cook about 6-8 hours, until the meat begins to pull back and seprate from the bones. When the meats comes off (falls off) the bones with a slight flick of the fork, it's done. If it's still tough, IT'S NOT DONE.

The meat's delicious as is, or you can remove the bones, and use the meat in any dish you like that calls for cooked chicken meat.

 

[lildinkem]

I have both breeds. Cuckoo Wyanndottes and Black/Blue/Buff Orpingtons. I found by taking an Exhibition line Buff Orp hen to a totally different line of Buff Orpington, I have girls who lay virtually everyday. And they lay a larger egg then my Australorps or Wyanndottes. Plus are very fluffy and nice to look at.