[Dave C]

Thanks for the welcome.
Re the Ross Cobbs, they were the breed that came back as best for table birds and we have found a supplier locally too which I am pleased about.
The initial plan was to get 40 day olds and put them all in the freezer at once.  We have chicken 2/3 times a week in the form of roast or diced and sliced.  I also will be batch making meals in prep for the winter.  We were not planning on keeping any back for breeding from due to the whole weight thing Dave C however my mind is wandering as I don't want to keep paying year after year (we would get 40, maybe twice a year) when we could raise them ourselves potentially.

I have a huge, huge RIR who is this years which I was considering crossed with a female Ross Cobb?  Then using the fertile eggs as meat birds - what's your thoughts on that?  Shouldn't they be crossed?

Also, we have ducks and geese and want to put 1 of each on the table for Christmas.  They were born in May so are way past their best date for slaughter I think (from what I have read).  What's everyone's thoughts on this?  We're definitely doing it, so advice on how to cook would be welcome

Thanks all.  Hope you're all bearing up with the whole keeping them in or covered malarkey.

MF is right you can cross anything, the problem will be getting the broiler to live long enough to breed.
Reduce there feed by only feeding twice a day, enough they can eat in 20 mins but don't feed ad lib, also move the feeders away from the roosting area and water at opposite end of run to make them excercise or even better free range, but I would give it a go and yes using a RIR cockerel will give you some random offspring but I think they will all Carry meat so go for it.

Will be an exciting project 

[Dave C]

Well after today's dinner we only have 2 more chickens in the freezer







So will have to be hatching some out in a few months.
The cockerels are not doings bad considering there confinement
And the pullets are still laying 5 eggs a day from 7 hens.

[Dans]

Firstly, sorry to tell you this but White Leghorns are not utility birds, you will get no meat from them that's worth while, what you will get is loads of large white eggs 
I used to breed them and they are a very good choice for a laying breed.

D'oh. I did start getting suspicious when I saw how small they were. Are they worth slaughtering at all? I know there won't be much but there will be some won't there *clutches at straws* If I do slaughter them for meat is there a best time. Fingers crossed their sister is a good layer so the brood wasn't a complete mistake.

We are not huge breast meat eaters, but something with some good wings, legs and thighs would be good for us.

Sooner from laid to table seems better as people talk about old birds being tougher. I don't know how true that is though?

I'll look into the Indian Game x Light Sussex. Where do you get your eggs from, so far mine have been ebay gambles.

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Dans

[macgro7]

Leghorns and egg laying hybrid hens are not worth roasting but they will make fantastic chicken stock/soup.
I cooked that welsummer recently. Was gorgeous!
Going to market tomorrow! Planning to buy some Leghorns actually lol
They are my favourite layers

[Dave C]

I'm sure they will lay well for you and as macgro said you might get a nice soup from the cockerels 

Next year I could help you out with some pure Indian Game to breed pure or cross with anything really.
As a pure breed you will get a nice sized bird at 16 weeks.

I will also be hatching various combinations of meat hybrids, if you read back in this thread you will see what I mean.

[Victorian Farmer]

Would like to see Dorking breeders as well as Indian game. I don't see castle farms he has some great stock. Not seen him on the forums.

[macgro7]

Just a thought...
Have you guys tried breeding turkeys yourself?
I wanted to breed bourbon red or slate stag to commercial white doublbreasted hens or maybe just the old breed of hen. Once I bought a pair, female kept laying eggs every single day but the stag was to shy to mate with her. She wasn't interested with him at all!
Instead he went to mate with chickens and muscovy ducks!!! No joke! I actually have a video of him mating with my duck!
Might try turkeys this year then! New project idea 

I loved that stag - he would make a fantastic pet! To fat to fly away, followed me everywhere and we loved the gobbles but as I said he was useless for breeding. Sold him as soon as I realised none of the eggs were fertile

[Marches Farmer]

Once I bought a pair, female kept laying eggs every single day but the stag was to shy to mate with her. She wasn't interested with him at all!
Sold him as soon as I realised none of the eggs were fertile

The hen may have sensed he was unfit and refused him as a mate.  Sometimes an older hen will refuse a young stag.

[macgro7]

Once I bought a pair, female kept laying eggs every single day but the stag was to shy to mate with her. She wasn't interested with him at all!
Sold him as soon as I realised none of the eggs were fertile

The hen may have sensed he was unfit and refused him as a mate.  Sometimes an older hen will refuse a young stag.

Maybe that's what it was!
She seemed bigger than him.
His snood was missing as well, maybe she just didn't find him attractive lol

I didn't know there were so many strains of turkeys. I don't mean the heritage breeds but the strains of commercial broad brested bronze and white.

They have strains which weigh from 3 to 15kg (oven ready):
http://www.farmgatehatcheries.co.uk/default.aspx?m=3&mi=148

I always wanted to have tiny bantam turkeys 
Might order the smallest ones they have and keep a trio for breeding. I actually prefer turkey gobbling to cockerel crowing. Always find white turkeys nicer than bronze

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

hi Dave

at the begining of the thread you sent me a with a company that you buy meat and egg laying birds from
the one where they had growth charts etc

can you remember the name and possibly send me the link again

many thanks

[Dave C]

Sent you a pm mate

[Dans]

Well all in all my Leghorns ended up being an awful experiment. The boys are still small but see thier last dawn tomorrow (I'll let you know what they weigh when I am done with them) and the one girl is laying me lovely white eggs at 35g each *sigh* I am really hoping the they increase in size as she gets older but I'm not holding out hope for large eggs.

On the other hand the hybrids that came from a mixed up ebay egg order matured into two boys giving me 1.4kg and 1.7kg roast chickens and a girl giving me 65g Brown eggs.

When I get broodies next year I am thinking of putting this hen's  (Brienne) eggs under them as my Cockerel is a hefty big fella too.

Would that be foolish? I am utterly new to chicken breeding but on the face of it they are both big birds (she went straight into top hen position the day she joined the flock) and she is laying well. Do I just keep eggs at room temperature until I have a broody/enough for an incubator?

Dans

Edited as my autocorrect went wild

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

Thanks Dave

[macgro7]

Well all in all my Leghorns ended up being an awful experiment. The boys are still small bug see thier last dawn tomorrow (I'll let you know what they weigh when I am done with them) and the one girl is laying me lovely white eggs at 35g each *sigh* I am really hoping the they increase in size as she gets older but I'm not holding out hope for large eggs.

On the other hand the hybrids that came from a mixed up ebay egg order matured into two boys giving me 1.4kg and 1.7kg roast chickens and a girl giving me 65g Brown eggs.

When I get bloodiest next year I am thinking of putting this hen's  (Brienne) under them as my Cockerel is a hefty big fella too.

Would that be foolish? I am utterly new to chicken breeding but on the face of it they are both big birds (she went straight into top hen position the day she joined the flock) and she is laying well. Do I just keep eggs at room temperature until I have a broody/enough for an incubator?

Dans

No one will stop you from trying to cross them! Just let them do it and see the results!
Yes you can store eggs in the cool place, but not the fridge as really low temperature can damage them.
Everywhere I read, the eggs start to loose their chances to hatch after 10 days. Any more time after that and they are less likely to hatch. However, I have hatched eggs which were waiting to start incubation for more than two weeks.
I want to get some Leghorns again! The one I had was laying the most massive chicken eggs I've ever had! Obviously as a young pullet her first eggs would be smaller. I've noticed the first end quality affects egg size a lot.

Btw i just read your blog! I reminds me of me feeding all my animals! When I realised my wife is giving birth, the first thing I did was to lock the hens so I don't have to worry about them later in the evening!
Now we have a 19 month old future farmer who starts to "baaaaah" in every shop whenever he sees picture of sheep goat or... dog lol
Plays with toy chickens and ducks and wears his little wellies when we go to feed the geese and rabbits.

[Dave C]

Good for you for raising him that way pal 

Little farmers