Favorite Breeds?

[patrappernewbie]

Hey guys, my family is considering getting some chickens. We want some meat birds, because we are coming to realize how much crap they pump into them commercial birds. We have a coule egg layers in mind, but what are your favorite meat bird breeds? And any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

[mrchicken]

The regular cornish rock cross is the standard meat bird. Give them good feed and you will get good birds.
Don't expect the same mushy flavorless grocery store chicken though.

Here is a critical tip a friend gave me.
Put the birds in the fridge or cooler for at least a day before freezing. You want the rigor to relax before freezing them or you will wind up with chicken jerky. Our first run of birds were tough as an old tire. We killed/processed/and froze all in an afternoon.
After we learned about "relaxing" the birds before freezing, they came out much better.

Its hard to beat Leg horns or RI reds for egg production wise.

[brent]

I used to get barred rocks. Seemed to be good chicken all around. Seems like I loose less chicks. A buddy of mine bought some too and they threw in a couple little white chicks for free. I'm not sure what kind they were but I need to find out. The white ones grew to butchering size within a third of the time it took the barred rocks. And they grew a lot bigger too.

[farmertrappe]

I use Meyer Hatchery in Polk Ohio to get my meat birds. I raise the Rainbow Ranger broilers, it's a slower growing heritage bird. The white broilers will grow quicker, but the flavor and texture of the heritage bird is excellent. I free range them in movable pens and feed a local feed ration with great results. I get my layers at 16 weeks old, they start to lay in a month. At about $6 a piece I think its cheaper than raising them from day old chicks. Now i'm trying to make money with eggs, I have about 100 layers at a time. If you just want enough for the family, it's nice to have a variety of birds out. It's pleasing to the eyes and good for the soul to see some Buff Orpington's, Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks out grazing and chasing bugs and each other around.

[patrappernewbie]

Thanks for the information, and Brent, let me know if you find out what those white ones were. Lol.

[cbul]

A cornish variety or cross are desirable. The egg laying breeds are a joke when you butcher them compared to the robust cornish sort. I had stopped butchering birds as it was a real chore for a couple scrawny egg layers. Hell the coons did my butchering this year. That is kinda how I ended up on a trapping forum. Looking forward to new birds this spring. I had ordered from www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html they show up in the mail. I do miss the eggs.