Meat/eggs birds

  • 2 Replies
  • 1453 Views
*

HarperHen

  • Newbie
  • *
  • 7
Meat/eggs birds
« on: July 30, 2011, 14:14 »
Hi,

Sorry if this has been asked a thousand times but I need some advice please. I have ex batts (rhode island/sussex x's) and they lay everyday :) Now I am thinking of when I stock up on more birds I would like to raise my own meat.

Do I get something like a Ross and just use them for meat? Can they lay or do they get despatched before they are POL?

A dual purpose bird would be ideal. What breed am I looking out for? At how many weeks would I be looking at culling?

As you see, I have lots of questions. Hope you can help me out.

*

GrannieAnnie

  • Grandmother of the Forums
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: Kent
  • 21104
Re: Meat/eggs birds
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2011, 15:07 »
Hi HH, we keep hybrids for egg laying and hubbard 757's for meat.  Meat birds can lay, but are usually slaughtered between 8 and 16 weeks, so before they start to lay.

There are quite a few dual purposes breeds, like Light Sussex, RIR, Welsummers, Ixworth, oh lots....  We don't eat our other birds very much, but I think once they get past 6 months are a bit tough, and sometimes even younger cockerels can be a bit tough.

The hens have more breast, and the cockerels have more thigh meat.

No doubt someone will be along soon with lots more dual purpose breeds for you to think about!  :)

*

Sassy

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Location: North Yorkshire
  • 2553
Re: Meat/eggs birds
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2011, 08:39 »
We have culled Light Sussex cockerels that we raised and they were good. If you are going to raise meat birds they will need to be kept separately to your layers as their feed will be different. Also if you have a pure breed like LS you would not cull until 20 to 24 weeks approx as they are slower to mature. :)
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted!!



question
Meat birds

Started by GTFC197 on The Hen House

4 Replies
1838 Views
Last post January 11, 2014, 19:31
by nnbreeder
xx
meat birds

Started by jonandjen16 on The Hen House

7 Replies
3105 Views
Last post July 29, 2008, 10:10
by GrannieAnnie
xx
Meat birds??

Started by bedifferent on The Hen House

12 Replies
9177 Views
Last post April 06, 2008, 23:16
by woodburner
xx
???? about meat birds

Started by daz on The Hen House

26 Replies
8222 Views
Last post June 25, 2008, 16:40
by kentishlad
 

Page created in 0.292 seconds with 38 queries.

Powered by SMFPacks Social Login Mod
Powered by SMFPacks SEO Pro Mod |