The Official Forum of the Ameraucana Breeders Club > Breeding

Suggestion for Sustainable Meat Birds

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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.

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