Ok..my question is what chickens do you cross for meat chickens? I know its like a Cornish cross of some sort but what I'm wanting to do is if SHTF and At woods isn't open anymore to buy meat chicks at what's needed to breed meat chicks?
there are plenty of dual purpose breeds. the sure enough meat chicken will make horrible farm birds ecause they are genetically bread to grow out in 5 weeks. they just sit on their butts and eat feed. if your wanting a flock like grandma used to raise just get some white or barred rock. that way you don't have to butcher them all on the same day.
Poke around, and be sure to bookmark save, this site LINK TO: Murray McMurray Hatchery - Hatching the Highest Quality Baby Chicks and Poultry
You can learn a lot there, and order one of their free catalogs as well, lots of good info there too.
OSU Stillwater county extension has info as well, talk to your local county extension office, check this out too LINK TO Backyard Poultry - Oklahoma State University.
You can learn a lot there, and order one of their free catalogs as well, lots of good info there too.
OSU Stillwater county extension has info as well, talk to your local county extension office, check this out too LINK TO Backyard Poultry - Oklahoma State University.
Here's my ad on CL, I'm currently filling the list as requests are made. And behind.
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/prague-broiler-chicks/7442223220.html
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/grd/d/prague-broiler-chicks/7442223220.html
Hmmm didnt know there was such a thing as a pacfic meat bird we always ate the male bids that hatched off before we started on the older birds to make room for the younger ones and didnt matter what breed they were
They're kinda like cattle. Heavy egg layers are usually slimmer (as are heavy milkers), and meat varieties are stockier (as are beef production breeds).
Some do a fair job of both.
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Chicken genetics are kept almost top secret. I've tried to find the genetic make up of these birds and come up empty handed. They are a Cornish cross of sorts but not the same line as what's typically available in stores. They are called slo grow broilers, There's a few hatcheries that carry them and some will list them as Rangers of some sort. They are a heavy bird, thick legs, some curled toes and not a big forager. But they do get around and are not the slugs of the Cornish X. I suspect the hens do 150-200+ eggs and BIG eggs, can't shut the carton eggs. And when their double yolkers their near football size lol. Your statement and question was also mine and I'm quite pleased with the decision we made.
genetics-- they are a three way composite at least and are considered terminal cross. if you want to breed them u need the first crossbreed rooster to inseminate the second crossbreed hen. then you have to maintain the four or more flocks to produce the F1 and F2. it is complicated and unnecessary unless you have millions of birds and are a commercial chicken factory. don't try to breed the terminal cross to another of it's own.
