The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: harry on May 05, 2009, 06:45:56 pm

Title: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: harry on May 05, 2009, 06:45:56 pm

ANYONE kept hubbards semi free range,ie confined but with outdoor access... if so how do the do, ive been told not to give them free acess to food as they fall off their legs quiet soon...............i was going to x some hubbards with a ixworth cockeral....

Title: Re: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: Rosemary on May 05, 2009, 08:07:49 pm

We keep ours in a run, so semi-free range. We feed pellets ad lib. They are not the most active birds possibly due to their weight; we've just killed ours at 11 weeks and they are fabulous tasting birds. Next time we might restrict their feed but to be honest, the current system seems fine to us.

Title: Re: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: Rainyplace on May 06, 2009, 11:11:06 am

Hi
My birds are free range in a fairly large area.(Rosemary, Andrew, Carol and I got d ay old chicks to raise about 13 weeks ago) They have had access to food most of the time. Have had no problem with them, they are fairly active definately no problem with them falling over! I have despatched 5 in total, weight ranging from 2.15kg to 2.61 kg. The meat was wonderful, great taste and good texture. Will despatch more at the end of this week.
Jo

Title: Re: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: doganjo on May 06, 2009, 05:46:04 pm

Better watch, Jo - I know chicken is a low fat low calorie meat - but just how many are you eating? lol ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: harry on May 06, 2009, 08:17:32 pm

thanks...... are hubbards a breed that will breed or are they a hybid... for instance if i keep hubbards and they lay will the eggs hatch.... or are hubbards a mix that will not produce young chicks... harry

Title: Re: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: Rosemary on May 06, 2009, 09:02:22 pm

I think you are confuding hybrid species with hybrid breeds. Hybrid species - like dog x wolf or horse x zebra - are infertile. Hybrid breeds within a species like Black Rocks or mongrel dogs are fertile.

Title: Re: HUBBARDS????????
Post by: doganjo on May 06, 2009, 09:04:52 pm

Is that how you get different sized mountains - black rocks crossed with mongrels ;) ;D