Suggestion for Sustainable Meat Birds

[Scott]

I am planning on raising meat birds this year and instead of raising the mutant Cornish crosses, I want to focus on getting a meat bird that is sustainable, matures quickly and has good body mass.  I have researched several breeds and have come down to Delawares, Buckeyes, White/Barred Rocks, or Cornish.  Does anyone have any experience raising any of these breeds for meat or have suggestions for another breed to consider for this purpose?  Ideally I\'d like to have a 4 to 5 pound bird dressed out at around 4 months.    

[bryngyld]

I\'ve been hearing a lot about Freedom Rangers.  They walk around like normal chickens.  Check them out.

[OldChurchEggery]

We\'ve butchered a few different breeds here on our farm (Ameraucanas, Australorps, Jersey Giants, and Rhode Island Reds). I have a long, slender hand and I still found it difficult to get into the body cavity of the Ameraucanas we did. Since I haven\'t raised any of the breeds you mentioned, I\'m afraid I can\'t speak from first-hand experience, but my guess would be that the Buckeyes or Delawares would be a good bet. Depending on your source, the Plymouth Rocks might be too far on the egg-production side to get much meat on them. Since the Delawares have light feathers, they might \"clean up\" a bit nicer for the table and not have dark pin feathers left behind. Buckeyes are supposed to be good meat birds and since your signature says Ohio, you might feel some state pride and raise those :-)

[John]

If you want birds for meat, I would go with a hybrid rather than any one \"pure\" breed.  With the cost of feed it just doesn\'t make much sense to feed a bird for several months if you don\'t have.  Some claim their are other hybrids that are more \"flavorful\" than the Cornish/Rock cross.  Check out this link from the UK...
http://poultrykeeper.com/hybrids/hybrid-chickens-for-the-table/

update...here is an article on the Freedom Rangers hybrid...
http://www.motherearthnews.com/happy-homesteader/wrong-about-freedom-rangers-zb0z10zgri.aspx

[Mike Gilbert]

I have read the results of some \"table tests\" and the Delaware usually ranks near or at the top.   Delawares are made by crossing Barred Rocks over New Hampshires, and then the F-1\'s between themselves.   If you can find some that were recently made they might still have that hybrid vigor and growth you are looking for.

[Beth C]

Last year I produced, quite by accident, some very large, early maturing cockerels by crossing my Ameraucanas on New Hampshire Reds. I was only trying to get replacement layers and didn\'t have a NH Red male, but unfortunately I hatched no pullets. But the males were HUGE, and could have easily been butchered by 12-14 weeks. Now, since these are hatchery stock NH Reds, and we all know about hatchery stock, these may have been a fluke, but I was intrigued and decided to play with that cross a little more. I have 8 F1 due to hatch on Sunday, and I retained a cock from last year to experiment with breeding to both the Ameraucana & NH Red hens (besides, my kid thought he looked like a zebra and wouldn\'t let me eat him...)

[Birch Run Farm]

All of my extra cockerels go to freezer camp.  That said, I love my mutant meatie wheaties (cornishX).  I pasture pamper mine and they do just fine and I butcher at 9 weeks.  They beat any layer breed combo by far for me.  

 :p

[Tailfeathers]

Buckeyes are one of the other three breeds besides Ameraucanas that I breed and show.

I would agree with John\'s comments if all you\'re looking for is birds to butcher.  However, if you would also like to breed and show them, then I\'d recommend the Buckeyes.  They are a heavier bird, mature fairly fast, and I\'m pretty sure the cockerels at least would go 4-5 pounds by 16 weeks.  The general consensus is that you want to feed Buckeyes 30% Gamebird Startena from birth to 8 weeks of age to give them the muscle mass they should have.  Then drop the Startena for Chick Starter.  

God Bless,

[Paul]

The Rhode Island Reds are your best bet!  They are good layers of large brown eggs to keep you replenished in chicks for meat production.  They are a dual purpose breed.

[Scott]

Thanks everyone for the responses - you guys/gals are great help.

I think I may try the Freedom Rangers.  Though I hate to have to rely on a hatchery to supply them.  The up side to this decision is I will have more coop space for my Ameraucanas =)  Maybe in a year or two I may look into a dual purpose breed.

[dixieland]

I agree with Paul 100%. We have RIRs also. We do not show them or breed them, but we always seems to have 5 or 6 around..They are a great dual purpose breed, and they are fun to interact with..

[Mike Gilbert]

I have dressed out young R.I. Reds, and those dark pin feathers are not my cup of tea.   I would stay with a white or buff colored bird.   Delawares would still be my first choice among those breeds that are commonly available.

[John]

You could always do like Beth did and make your own.  With a couple hens of one breed and a cock of another you could hatch some hybrid chicks that would fit the bill.  Think about a RIR/Delaware cross or I could make an Ameraucana/Chantecler cross with what I have on hand.  Years ago I contemplated crossing white Cornish with white Ameraucana and calling them Corn-a-cana!

[Mike Gilbert]

John, I might have gone with Am-ish.   That may have resonated with some of the old world farmers around here.

[John]

Am-ish

Wow that really shows you have the marketing background that it takes!  
Am-ish anything seems to sell.  Presbyterian furniture and Episcopal baked goods just don\'t seem to sell as well around here as the Amish brands.  You could increase the market by offering Kosher Amish chicken.