[SnooziSuzi]

Hi all.

I have been thinking for some time about getting some birds for the oven but am not sure about which breed(s) to go for.

I don't want anything that puts on weight quickly and was hoping for a heirloom breed as opposed to a common breed.

Any ideas on what i should be looking for?  I had thought about black orpingtons becuause they are large birds bred for the table and they aren't really common but I can't find any breeders this far north.

Any advice will be received gratefully and looked into  

[BIG ZOOK]

my bantam    hatched 9 buff orpington chicks , for the table   . lovely dual purpose birds   . However , my buffs are now 6yrs old  :o  2 cocks and 7 hens       . great pets, and i`m really attatched to them all  :oops: .

[jonny1982]

Ive heard light sussex large fowl are good for the table , the cockerels are well known for their quality for the table.
Im looking into table birds to, i would get some fast growing ones first but i would rather get somthing a bit more natural.
I keep Rhode Island Reds and i was looking in some country mag last week and they are well rated for their meat. I dont eat mine im not sure if i will but i do know they are slow growing at least 6 months before they are ready. Traditional breeds used for the table are barred plymouth rock, dorking and white cornish <indian game>

[SnooziSuzi]

Great!  Thanks guys!

[digga666]

Can anybody tell me if you can feed just wheat (corn) only to broilers or any other chicken that is being reared for the table?

In fact can you just feed any grain only to birds for the table?

I know a lot of chicken feed contains Maize and maybe additives, but i can get a supply of wheat, oats and barley and i am wondering if the birds would finish properly or maybe lack something?

[archiesgems]

Can anybody tell me if you can feed just wheat (corn) only to broilers or any other chicken that is being reared for the table?

In fact can you just feed any grain only to birds for the table?

I know a lot of chicken feed contains Maize and maybe additives, but i can get a supply of wheat, oats and barley and i am wondering if the birds would finish properly or maybe lack something?

corn fed birds always taste so much better, but you must remember if you feed only grain to suppliment calcium and add some extra vitimins to their feed or water. grain fed birds also grow slower but are so tender.

[Ice]

What exactly is the "corn", that "corn fed" chickens are given.  I was told it's maize and not ordinary corn.  Is that true?

[archiesgems]

yes it is maize, this is what gives the birds that yellow colour to their flesh, the trouble is its very fattening so not a healthy diet, but most of the birds grown on this are culled at about 16 to 18 weeks old

[Ice]

Thank you.

[digga666]

So does this mean i cant just feed my birds just wheat (corn) or/and barley or/and oats and have them outside eating grass and worms/bugs??

The idea was to slow them down and make them live longer.

I notice commercial grain feed has 80% wheat and 20% maize, now i can get the wheat but cant buy any maize because i think it is all imported and the grain i can get is all organic.

[hillfooter]

Light or Buff sussex make very good table birds as well as being star layers (for pure breeds).  You can buy mixed poultry corn which has maize as well as other corn grains.

No digga666 corn should not form the basis of a healthy diet for your chickens if you want them to live long & stay healthy.  A good quality balanced feed such as a layers pellet should form the basic staple diet with corn given as a treat before they roost and no more than a small handful each.  Keeps treats and scraps to 5% ish of their diet only.

Regards

[digga666]

Thanks i understand that would be the case with hens or duel purpose birds but in this case i refer just to broilers who probably wouldnt get past 16 weeks?   which i think is twice their commercial age

[Sassy]

You do right to look at a pure breed. I went on a short course for table birds with some  experienced poultry keepers. They were trying Ross Cobbs which are bred as meat birds. They were concerned that they were not free ranging and removed their food for a short time every day to try and encourage them. Two died for no apparent reason. They had pm's done. They had enlarged hearts and died of stress, the vet thought it was due to them withholding food. They are bred to eat and eat to be culled for meat sooner than later. So we should all beware of going against what a bird has been specifically bred for. I'm sure we would all have done the same thinking that it was in the birds interest.

I have got Light Sussex as they are good for both eggs and meat. This is just as well as out of four eggs we have three cockerels!! 

Good luck with whatever you decide

[GrannieAnnie]

At what age do you kill your Light Sussex Sassy?

[Foxy]

Our neighbour has Light Sussex for meat, they are a nice weight now at 20weeks and will be killed in the next week or so. I have faverolles and a few surplus boys will be used for the table soon, they are a little slower maturing than the sussex though.