[GTFC197]

Hi everyone and Blessings to you all for 2014.

Hope this doesn't cause offence to anyone, Apologies if it does, but what are the best breed of chickens to use for raising for meat?

We are hoping to raise some ducks for the same reason and were wondering if they can be kept together.

Mick. 

[bravemurphy]

We are going to get some birds for eating, have been thinking about it for a long time.

I have been looking at ross cobbs.

I don't like the idea of the mess plucking them tho.

[GrannieAnnie]

We used to get ours from Simon at Poulet Anglais in old Bolinbroke.  The last lot of ross cobbs we had didn't get to a good size, but things may have changed.

the only problem with Simon now is that he has been so busy with big orders, that he had to give up selling small amounts of day olds.

His birds were called colouryields and JA747's I think.  They were a Hubbard cross.  The best ones were the Mastergris, but he sold the parent stock to one of our members who is in Wales, but I can't remember his name.

[Sassy]

The problem with keeping ducks and chooks together is that chooks roost high and ducks don't, therefore, the ducks get pooped on! the other problem can be male ducks being frisky with anythng that moves! However if you were raising for meat, they would probably be culled before this was an issue. 

[nnbreeder]

 Another problem can be the water, ducks will have a grand time in it and get the chickens wet which can cause illness.

 Brooding is another thing too. Ducks don't need as much heat as chicks and the ducks can overheat.