Meat Chickens

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rachel Hoff on June 17, 2010 at 4:14pm

I have a real ethical problem with raising Cornish Xs. They can die suddenly for no reason other than their organs can't keep up with their growth. By the time you slaughter them some will have broken their legs because of their weight.
Freedom Rangers are a good choice too.
Recently Mother Earth News ran an article on chickens and had a list of the best meat chickens that readers had rated. Cornish, Buckeyes, Rhode Island Whites, Orpingtons and Plymouth Rocks were rated most useful as meat birds. The chickens with the best flavor are La Fleche, Buckeyes, Dorkings and Cornish.

Permalink Reply by Meredith Cope on June 17, 2010 at 6:10pm

We do have 3 RI Reds, 4 Plymouth Barred Rocks, 1 Austrolorp, and 1 Gold Laced Wyandotte. The RI Reds and Barred Rocks are dual purpose, so we could raise them for layers and meat birds. However, in analyzing our average meat consumption, as a large family, we are figuring that raising at least 35-50 chickens a year would be great. So that's why I'm thinking Rangers. They have a much better healthy life, and take slightly longer than Cornish X, but less time than other heritage breed. 10-12 weeks.
From what I'm reading Rangers originated in France, in the french heritage breed Hubbard.

I am also starting to have an ethical problem with Cornish X... but I'm glad that I'm experiencing it first hand, and I'm still going to give these 11 Cornish X a happy life. : )

Permalink Reply by Torry on June 17, 2010 at 7:26pm

I'd say it would be good to raise egg chickens, eat eggs, and when you get a broody hen eat up the roosters before they get all cocky. Maybe can or freeze them too? Yeppers to the prev. suggestions to other breeds, all splendid advice. Let all d'em chickens run. Some breeds are just plain wrong, made for the slaughter, not for the farm.

Permalink Reply by Lynn S on July 8, 2010 at 9:01am

We raise Cornish X and so many people have either plugged into the negative hype or they misunderstand the purpose and care required for this hybrid cross. This chicken is bred for fast growth, yes, but also for very flavorful and tender meat. Using a "dual purpose" chicken for a meat chicken takes much longer to have a 5-6 pound dressed bird and many don't ever make that size. Then there is the quality of the meat from "dual purpose" chickens -- it's, like eating a roll of rubber bands, and stewing does not help.

Cornish X are hybrids, but still chickens -- they're bred to develop a large breast and tender meat in a short amount of time. Yes, their bodies and body parts must be stressed and this is why these birds must be raised with more "science" than just doling out tossed mash in a pan. Their care and feed must be a bit specialized since these are not the average 'backyard bird', but their feed-to-meat conversion is excellent. With their quick growth rate, the feed must be a high protein, otherwise the chickens will develop poorly (and yes that can mean broken legs or fatalities).

Cornish X also require good water and decent surroundings -- not crowded, stressed by external factors, or standing in chicken manure. We grow ours out with zero fatalities and we use portable chicken cages. New backyard growers now call these "tractors". The Cornish X are not grown near our layer flock or other animals to minimize any stress on the birds. Also, they are kept in the shade to keep them cool because Summer heat can be a stressful problem, too. We have not had broken legs because of how they are raised and what they are fed. Legs break from either a stressed situation or nutritional deficiency, bones don't "just break"....they break for a reason. Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Meredith Cope on July 8, 2010 at 9:20am

Lynn, thank you for this! This is exactly how I feel now that I've had my Cornish X chickens for a couple weeks. We also have them in a tractor, and it is the best. We have it in the field next to our chicken pen, but not in with our laying hens. Then every couple of days we move it over to fresh grass, about 8ft. At first I was unsure about the breed, but after having them, I would do them again.

Lynn Shaw said:

We raise Cornish X and so many people have either plugged into the negative hype or they misunderstand the purpose and care required for this hybrid cross. ...

Cornish X are hybrids, but still chickens ...Their care and feed must be a bit specialized...
Cornish X also require good water and decent surroundings -- not crowded, stressed by external factors, or standing in chicken manure. We grow ours out with zero fatalities and we use portable chicken cages. New backyard growers now call these "tractors". The Cornish X are not grown near our layer flock or other animals to minimize any stress on the birds. Also, they are kept in the shade to keep them cool because Summer heat can be a stressful problem, too. We have not had broken legs because of how they are raised and what they are fed. Legs break from either a stressed situation or nutritional deficiency, bones don't "just break"....they break for a reason. Hope this helps.

Permalink Reply by Rachel Hoff on July 8, 2010 at 9:49am

Sorry Lynn, I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I'm not as interested in how long it takes (yes I realize time = money) if it's detrimental to the bird. Taste is important and there are other birds - dual purpose birds - out there that rate high in flavor and texture. A blog I follow ran an experiment with raising Cornish X and Freedom Rangers and then had a blind taste test at their family reunion. No one could tell the difference between the two.