What type of chicken to process????

[Up-the-Creek]

I am not new to processing chickens, but I am new to buying a "breed" made specific for it. We usually just butcher what was here, but DH and I would like to buy some just for butchering. We have dicussed the cornishX and many dual purpose breeds. I would like to hear some of your experiences with different breeds and what you all think the pros and cons are.

Top on our list so far is the White Rock,...leaning toward a dual purpose at this point for the "flavor".

 

[miss_thenorth]

Well, I have raised the cornishX, the red ranger type bird, and have processed regular extra cockerals

Definitely CX give you the biggest bird in the least amount of time. The rangers, I wished I had raised them separate, but I had them in with the CX, so i can't tell you if they ate less food or not. At the same age, they dressed out prob 2 lbs. smaller. I usually process my meaties at 8 weeks, CX usually 8ish lbs, RR usually 6ish lbs.

My extra roos dress out at about 4 lbs at 6 months. (They might be 4 lbs sooner, but we normally process them when they start crowing)

Does that help?

This spring, I will be ordering the red ranger type again, since I believe OFG has some who lay eggs, so that way I can reproduce my own.

 

[Beekissed]

UTC, I will be doing the rainbow rangers this year if at all possible, so can probably give you more insight later on how free ranged meaties process out.

For now, my WRs are quite impressive in size and lay consistently for two years now. An easy keeper bird also. If the rangers don't pan out, the next venture will be with just the WRs.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Thanks all for all the good feedback!
I was checking out the colored rangers,...thinking a maybe on them. What exactly are they crossed with??? Do they develop as quick as a cornishXrock??

At the moment I have 12 layin hens and a BR roo,...my hens are BR,PR,EE, and BO ( the eating machines ). I had some Australorps,..didn't impress me much. I like the Rocks,..they are a good all around chicken. Keeping that long would make them into some expensive birds,...but I have told they are quite tastier. Of course here they can free range, that would cut down expenses.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I was checking out the colored rangers,...thinking a maybe on them. What exactly are they crossed with??? Do they develop as quick as a cornishXrock??

with mine-at 8 weeks they were about 6 lbs,whereas the cornish x were about 8 lbs. Nice birds, there breasts were not as big as cx, but still very nice.

My dual purpose birds are barred rocks. While I like the roos, I prefer them for soups etc. But we do eat ALOT of soup around here. I really like the cx or rangers for roasters.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I was checking out the colored rangers,...thinking a maybe on them. What exactly are they crossed with??? Do they develop as quick as a cornishXrock??

with mine-at 8 weeks they were about 6 lbs,whereas the cornish x were about 8 lbs. Nice birds, there breasts were not as big as cx, but still very nice.

My dual purpose birds are barred rocks. While I like the roos, I prefer them for soups etc. But we do eat ALOT of soup around here. I really like the cx or rangers for roasters.

See that is what I would want is a good roaster,...the dual purpose probably won't be as suited for this Im thinking. The rangers are looking better!

 

[maf8009]

I have experience in this are and will be glad to give you my "expertise!" I have been raising chickens for about a year and here is what I have learned about cornish cross...

They are not all the same. some breeds are "Hubbard Cornish" other breeds are the "Cobb Vantress" (go to the website and look at the breeds)

There is "slow cornish" or "jumbo cornish" the jumbo are HARD to keep... for example I bought 100 from Ideal poultry and now 80 are dead from heart problems and leg weakness. They wheeze and their wattles turn purple and they just "die"

I have restricited feed/ no light at night and fed 12 on and 12 off.... no matter they are very hard to keep, I will not order this breed again.... There are other breeds of chickens in the same pen that have NOT died

I have raised SLOW CORNISH roasters from Mcmurrays Mcmurray and not one single problem they weighed 8/10 lbs on the table at dinner! Soooo I will order these again in February

But my favorite for taste will be the White Rock or the "Red Broiler" that is the Dark Cornish crossed with a Rhode Island Red (you can get them from Ideal...) but order a slow growing roaster cornish form the hatchery closest to your state.

Slow roasters still get to 08/09 lbs in 16 weeks and TASTE BETTER. The all cornish is too "fat" and mushy meat. The "cross" or slower growing chicken is firm meat too.... Best of all they grow like real chickens with no heart or leg problems

Make sure after processing you brine in flavored or salt water the chicken for 2 days before you cook for best flavor.

Go to BACKYARD CHICKENS for lots of advice. Good luck and I hope this helps!!!

I am not new to processing chickens, but I am new to buying a "breed" made specific for it. We usually just butcher what was here, but DH and I would like to buy some just for butchering. We have dicussed the cornishX and many dual purpose breeds. I would like to hear some of your experiences with different breeds and what you all think the pros and cons are.

Top on our list so far is the White Rock,...leaning toward a dual purpose at this point for the "flavor".

 

[()relics]

In my experience with chickens, I have found that a cross bred chicken is your best bet for a dual purpose bird. I have my own hens and roosters that provide replacement birds every year...So I don't have much "hatchery bird" knowledge. For my dual purpose line; I use a Rhode Island Red rooster and a White Leghorn Hen. The offspring have similar traits and appearance as the hatchery ISA brown. Roosters are white with red shoulders and hens are redish brown....I refer to them as Production Reds. They are nearly year round egg layers, brown eggs. The roosters get rather large without much input of expensive feed and are easy to seperate at a young age. Which allows you to feed them what ever you feed your meat birds and not a more expensive layer ration...Again that is just what I do because I try to use what I have...I also keep pure lines of Wleghorns and RIR's again for replacements.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

our "dualies" have been the extra roos
;-)

we were too freaked out by the cornish meaties.... so we dabbled this summer with Ideal's red broilers - LOVED THEM!

no they didnt grow as fast - but none of them flopped over dead either. they were lively and true to their name - they did great at free ranging. but they still ate like pigs.

out of 15 we only had one with the leg problem (we call him Legs), he was may hatched and STILL hasnt flopped over dead! honestly we were too icked out to dress him - then he started rooster-ing around. and now we just kind of like him. but his days are numbered.

we also kept 2 of the smallest hens - and they are laying! so hopefully, between the gals and Legs, we'll have some free meaties in the spring.

i found them to be delicious and .......were really meaty!

i keep wanting to do the cornish x's b/c of the fast grow out.. but i dunno. they kinda look like frankenchickens to me. apologies to whoever has them, one day i'll cowboy up and do it.. but until then we really liked Ideal's red broilers.

 

[freemotion]

Anyone try the black giants, I think they are called Jersey Giants?