Backyard Chickens – The 5 Best Meat Chicken Breeds
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Choosing A Meat Chicken
With the growing popularity of raising backyard chickens comes an increasing interest in raising meat chickens. Dual-purpose chickens, those yielding both eggs and meat, are the most popular. But many backyard chicken farmers are turning to meat chickens for their better flavor.
Just like with egg layers, a different result comes with each breed so, choosing the best meat chicken breeds depends on what you’re looking to achieve.
This is a review of what I consider the 5 best chicken breeds to raise for meat.
Broilers
Broilers are chickens raised specifically for meat. They grow much faster than egg laying hens or dual purpose breeds. Most broilers have a fast growth rate with a high feed conversion ratio and low activity levels. In five weeks, broilers can reach a dressed weight of 4-5 pounds. Dual-purpose breeds, usually raised for both meat and egg production, are smaller with a slower growth rate.
Cornish Cross – The Cornish Cross is an excellent, fast growing broiler. Harvest time for a 4 pound broiler is normally 7 to 8 weeks. Their body make-up is superb, with broad breasts, large legs and thighs and a rich yellow skin.
Jersey Giant – Originating in the United States, this bird was developed to replace the turkey. A purebred chicken, the Giant’s weight averages 11-13 pounds. Jersey Giants grow at a slower rate than other meat birds, about 6 months to full maturity, making them undesirable to commercial industry. While originally a meat chicken, today, the Giant is prized as a dual-purpose bird, laying extra-large brown eggs.
Heritage / Heirloom
When describing Heritage chickens, the words heirloom, old-fashion and antique come to mind. The American Poultry Association began defining these breeds in 1873; setting standards for birds as being well adapted to various climates, hardy and long-lived and reproducing at a rate to provide a protein source to the growing nation. As chicken breeding became industrialized, these breeds were replaced by fast growing hybrids. Today, more than three dozen chicken breeds are listed as in danger of extinction. To avoid irrevocable loss caused by the extinction of a breed, The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy sets standards for marketing these as Heritage.
I love Heritage breeds preferring them to the newer, fast growing breeds. They are large meaty chickens and many also produce a nice amount of eggs. I usually buy my Heritage breeds on line since they are harder to find locally than what more popular breeds are.
Below is a listing of the breeds which qualify as Heritage:
Campine, Chantecler, Crevecoeur, Holland, Modern Game, Nankin, Redcap, Russian Orloff, Spanish, Sultan, Sumatra, Yokohama, Andalusian, Buckeye, Buttercup, Cubalaya, Delaware, Dorking, Faverolles, Java, Lakenvelder, Langshan, Malay, Phoenix, Ancona, Aseel, Brahma, Catalana, Cochin, Cornish , Dominique , Hamburg, Houdan, Jersey Giant , La Fleche, Minorca, New Hampshire , Old English Game, Polish, Rhode Island White, Sebright , Shamo, Australorp, Leghorn- Non-industrial, Orpington, Plymouth Rock , Rhode Island Red – Non industrial , Sussex, Wyandotte , Araucana, Iowa Blue, Lamona, Manx Rumpy (Persian Rumpless), Naked Neck (Turken).
My preferred Heritage breeds:
Delaware – A heavy bodied bird, the male can weigh up to 8.5 pounds and a female, 6.5 pounds. Originating from the U.S., the Delaware is hardy in heat and cold and matures quickly. The meat is delicious and the hens lay jumbo eggs. Delawares have calm and friendly dispositions
Dorking – This relatively calm bird is nonaggressive so it does well around children and small dogs. Another dual-purpose chicken, the Dorking is a superior table fowl with tender flesh and meaty breasts and wings. Dorkings are productive winter layers, providing a steady egg supply when other breeds are not laying. Good broody hens and excellent mothers, they stay with their chicks much longer than other breeds.
Buckeye – This is the only American breed exclusively created by a woman; developed by Mrs. Nettie Metcalf of Warren, Ohio. This dual-purpose breed is very cold weather hardy and adapts to various living conditions. However, because they are very active, they do not do well in confined spaces, adapting best to free-range. Hens lay medium-sized brown eggs and weigh an average of 6.5 pounds; roosters average 9 pounds.
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Baby
Chickens How To Care in
Bradley, Illinois
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Bradley Illinois,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
egg layers in smaller amounts and buy as an assortment. Bradley
Illinois also has poultry equipment for sale, game chickens for sale in
Bradley Illinois, bantams for sale, ducks for sale, geese for sale,
turkeys for sale, guinea for sale, peafowl for sale, pheasant for sale,
chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Bradley IL.
Baby Chickens For Sale in
Bradley, Illinois
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Bradley Illinois
catalog is a yearly traditions in many houses. My kids and I eagerly await
the Murray McMurray Hatchery catalog. We love looking at all the cool and
different chicken breeds available. Catalogs are free so head on over to
their site and request one if you are interested.
Typically hatcheries online offer both standard breeds
and bantams. Bantams are fun hardy little chickens, they lay tiny eggs
that kids especially love collecting. Bantams typically weigh less than 2
pounds when full grown. Just like ordering anything online there are pros
and cons to ordering baby chicks online. Pros of buying baby chicks in
Bradley Illinois * Big Selection - If you are wanting a large
variety of different chicken breeds and egg colors, you will find the best
selection at an online hatchery. * Both Bantams and full sized chickens
available * You get to choose what sex you want. If you want a mixture of
both male and female then choosing a "straight run" will save you money
and you will get a mixture of male and female chicks. You can also choose
all males or all females too. * Weekly specials. Hatcheries have sales on
chicks, you are likely to get a good deal if you are flexible with the
breeds you are wanting. Cons of buying baby chicks in Bradley
Illinois * Order early to get the best selection. Certain breeds sell
out fast, sometimes as early as 6 months in advance of shipping! If you
are wanting a certain breed it's best to order your chicks in the fall
before their orders sell out.
Baby Chickens Habitat in
Bradley, Illinois
Quantity - you must order a certain number of chicks. Typically hatcheries
will require you buy a minimum of 25 chicks at a time. The number is
necessary for the chicks survival during shipping. All 25 chicks are put
in one small box without heat. They are crowded in the box and produce
enough body heat to arrive in good shape. * The wait - If you choose to
buy chicks from a feed store you will have them the same day but if you
choose to go with a hatchery you have to wait until they are ready to ship
and then wait for the chicks to arrive. Ordering baby chicks online in
Bradley Illinois is easy and has always been a very pleasant
experience of me. It can be a little frustrating waiting for the chicks
but it's so worth the wait. When the post office calls and you hear all
those little "cheeps" or "chirps" in the background you'll know the wait
was worth it! How to Care for your new baby chickens in Bradley,
Illinois Baby chicks are really
cute as well as
tough to withstand,
yet it's best to prepare for their
arrival before you get them. Prepare initially
by collecting not just the
correct materials, however
also the correct
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is reasonably
straightforward, you simply should provide them with the following: A
clean and also warm
habitat Lots of food as well
as water Attention as well as
love Habitat Your environment could be an easy box, aquarium,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
pig cage. Line it with old towels as well as
coverings (with no loose
strings!) to begin, and after a few weeks use straw over newspaper.
Keep in mind: Avoid making use of only
paper or various other sandal
surfaces-- or your chicks legs can grow
malformed. You also need
something to serve up food as well as
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
dish from the feed store, or a pickle jar
lid for food and also a pet bird water dispenser from a family pet shop. Additionally, as the chicks grow older you can introduce a perch
right into the habitat to get them
trained on setting down. Heat To
maintain your chicks heat you should
offer them with a warmth resource.
This can be as easy as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design lamp from an equipment shop, or an infrared reptile heat
light bulb also function effectively (my
recommendation). Chicks require this
warmth 24/7 till their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which could take up to 2 months). The recently
hatched require a temperature
in between 90 as well as 100 levels,
and each week this could
be minimized by
around 5 levels approximately. The warmth source ought
to get on merely one side of the cage
to allow chicks a variety of
temperatures. The chicks are your finest
thermometer- if they are hiding in the
other corner of your heat
lamp, you should
lower the temperature. If
they are smothering each various other under the
heat (not just snuggling),
you should put some warmth.
House cleaning
Cleanliness is vital as
well as it maintains your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make certain to transform
the bed linens
commonly and also
constantly supply clean
food and water Food and water.
Chicks grow very quick
which needs plenty of clean
food and water. Offer
sufficient in any way times as well
as inspect
frequently to prevent thirsty as well as
starving chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, as well as it comes
in both medicated as well as non-medicated varieties. Feed chick food for the
first two months, after that
switch to a grower food (~ 17 %
protein) for an additional 2 months,
and then to a somewhat
reduced protein feed or a layer feed
(if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a head start on taking
dust baths, while others won't use up that activity up until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
enclosure, present a tray of sand or
dust for them to bathe in.
Attention as well as love There are a couple of benefits to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will probably bond with you as well as
not escape as grownups. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and also
watch their actions, you can
catch disease or various
other problems earlier. Keep an
eye out for wheezing, limping, or
other unhealthy
indications. Be sure to
likewise look at
their poop, as diarrhea can result in matted plumes as well
as obstructed cloaca.
Last but not least, it is very
important to look out
for social issues, such as the
smallest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest disorder So your
chicks are now fully feathered
and its time for them to leave the
security of your house
and also relocate outside right into a
coop. Take a look at our
part on chicken cages for more information
about coops as well as
correct cage habitats.
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