Author Topic: Best poultry for meat (Read 2658 times)

Declan · « **on:** October 18, 2009, 01:40:22 pm »

Just looking to know what are the better breeds for meat. I have a small flock of hybrid egg layers-they are my first foray int okeeping poultry and they are brilliant. I am interested in more but we are getting all the eggs we can need even with giving them away to family.
Can anyone suggest a useful breed for meat?
Thanks in advance

carl · « **Reply #1 on:** October 19, 2009, 09:14:06 am »

I have ixworths, which i would recommend, they lay a good few eggs and are good chunky meat birds. I did have two sasso cocks which grew quickly, but alas you would have to ask the badger what the meat was like. I was going to use the sasso boys to cross with the ixy girls for a meatier bird, but that has been sabotaged by mister brock for now. Due to the excessive onslaught of badger attacks I am downsizing my poultry as whatever I do I cannot make the freeranging area safe for them, without a lot of cost. So I will have a smaller flock of birds in a more secure run. Fewer egg layers and a few dual purpose ixworths. Light sussex were always a good dual purpose bird also. There are specific meat breeds which bulk up quicker, sasso and ross cobbs seem common. Also some more traditional breeds such as the ixworth and Indian game( sometimes called cornish) The bigger breeds of birds like the sussex, rhode island reds,Dorking and plymouth rock are classed as dual purpose.It's usually a case of whatever you can get hold of that takes your fancy.

r+lchick · « **Reply #2 on:** October 19, 2009, 09:23:19 am »

What are sasso cocks for the illiterate? (Or newbies) Ros

harry · « **Reply #3 on:** October 19, 2009, 10:01:19 am »

There probably isnt one best breed for meat, when i got sassos off the breeder i thought that you cant breed from sassos, maybe wrong. a sasso cock is a french x breed , dont know what the 2 breeds are. ime going to try l/sussex cockeral x pure ixworths next.

Sylvia · « **Reply #4 on:** October 19, 2009, 10:24:41 am »

I cross an Indian Game cockerel with Light Sussex hens. The pullets lay well and the cocks eat well.

carl · « **Reply #5 on:** October 19, 2009, 11:08:00 am »

sasso cock = male sasso.
Whatever you put the sasso male to , the males will come out meaty, and the females more like the mother ( or so I was told). I will never know now as the badger smashed open the ark and ate them.
My neighbour has crossed his Indian Game with my Ixworth girls with great success, Also he hatched out some faverolle x ixy eggs I gave him, and they look promising. As Harry says , no difinitive answer, but loads of options. If your hatching eggs, then be prepared for as many males as females so a meat bird crossed with a good layer is a safe option. try whatever you find easiest and find out for yourself.