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 Quail Chicks For
Sale in
Hooks, Texas
We have many Rare Chicken Breeds for sale in Hooks Texas,
including Sussex Chickens, Welsummer Chickens, Turken Chickens and more.
Be sure to check out the Bargain Specials, as you can combine different
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chukar partridge for sale, bobwhite for sale, many different breeds of
baby chicks for sale in Hooks TX.
Baby Chicks And Ducks in
Hooks, Texas
Thumbing through a baby chickens for sale in Hooks Texas
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
Hooks Texas * 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 Hooks
Texas * 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 Bedding in
Hooks, Texas
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
Hooks Texas 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 Hooks,
Texas Baby chicks are quite
adorable and also
difficult to withstand,
however it's finest to plan for their
arrival prior to you obtain them. Prepare first
by compiling not only the
right products, however
also the proper
knowledge to look after
them. Raising baby chicks is relatively
basic, you simply need
to offer them with the following: A
clean as well as cozy
environment A lot of food as well
as water Focus and also
love Habitat Your environment can be a basic box, aquarium,
pet cat carrier, or guinea
porker cage. Line it with old towels and
blankets (without loose
strings!) to start, and after a
couple of weeks use straw over paper.
Note: Avoid making use of just
paper or various other sandal
surface areas-- or your chicks legs could expand
misshapen. You likewise need
something to serve up food and
water in, such as a chicken feeder as well as water
meal from the feed shop, or a pickle container
lid for food and a pet bird water dispenser from an animal store. Additionally, as the chicks age you could present a perch
right into the environment to obtain them
educated on perching. Heat To
keep your chicks warm you have to
offer them with a warmth resource.
This could be as simple as a 100 watt
light bulb in a reflective clamp design light from a
hardware store, or an infrared reptile heat
bulb additionally work effectively (my
suggestion). Chicks require this
heat 24/7 up until their downy fluff is
changed with plumes (which can use
up to two months). The freshly
hatched out require a temperature
in between 90 as well as 100 levels,
as well as each week this could
be minimized by
around 5 degrees approximately. The warmth resource need to be on merely one side of the cage
to enable chicks an array of
temperatures. The chicks are your ideal
thermostat- if they are hiding in the
opposite edge of your warmth
lamp, you should
reduce the temperature level. If
they are surrounding each other under the
heat (not merely cuddling),
you should add some warmth.
Home cleaning
Sanitation is key as
well as it keeps your chicks healthy and
balanced. Make sure to alter
the bed linens
usually and
constantly provide tidy
food and also water Food as well as water.
Chicks expand very quickly
which calls for plenty of tidy
food and also water. Provide
sufficient whatsoever times and examine
typically to prevent thirsty as well as
hungry chicks. Chick food is various than grown-up chicken food, and also it is available in both medicated and non-medicated ranges. Feed chick food for the
first 2 months, after that
switch over to a raiser food (~ 17 %
protein) for one more 2 months,
and then to a slightly
reduced healthy protein feed or a level feed
(if you have layers). Dirt Some chicks like to obtain a running start on taking
dust bathrooms, while others won't take
up that task up until they are
older. If you have the room in your chick
room, introduce a tray of sand or
dirt for them to wash in.
Attention and love There are a couple of advantages to spending quality time with your chicks. First off, they will most
likely bond with you as well as
not flee as grownups. Second, if you
examine your chicks daily and also
see their behavior, you can
capture illness or other issues previously. Watch out for hissing, hopping, or
various other harmful
signs. Be sure to
additionally check out
their poop, as looseness of the bowels can lead
to matted feathers and also clogged cloaca.
Last but not least, it is very
important to watch out for social problems, such as the
smallest chick obtaining picked
on. Empty nest syndrome So your
chicks are now completely feathery
as well as its time for them to leave the
safety and security of your residence
and also move outside right into a
coop. Look into our
area on chicken cages to learn more
regarding coops as well as
proper coop environments.
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