The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: suziequeue on April 17, 2014, 06:34:20 am

Title: Looking for free range meat bird eggs to hatch
Post by: suziequeue on April 17, 2014, 06:34:20 am

This year we have enough laying hens so I am planning to put meat bird eggs under our broody this summer.


Does anybody know of a supplier of free range meat chicken eggs? Or can recommend a breed/strain to go for? I am not looking for industrial broiler-type strains - just something that will grow to a good meaty size slowly outdoors.


Any suggestions?

Title: Re: Looking for free range meat bird eggs to hatch
Post by: AndynJ on April 17, 2014, 10:03:59 am

If you ever get to Kidderminster Bromsgrove way I can direct you to a guy, he produces 10,000 a week under contract, if you walked in there he would sell you some
Fantastic set up very little land the sheds/kit were a million quid, very interesting to see how the big boys do it.

Title: Re: Looking for free range meat bird eggs to hatch
Post by: suziequeue on April 17, 2014, 10:54:01 am

Thanks Andy. 10,000 a week sounds a bit industrial to me. I'm not looking for something that's going to fall off its legs within a couple of months.


However, I would be interested to follow that up - having been let down by another supplier. I can go back home via Kidderminster on a Friday.

Are you able to give me his details?

Title: Re: Looking for free range meat bird eggs to hatch
Post by: HesterF on April 17, 2014, 09:54:55 pm

I've got Orpingtons which are a really good sized meat bird (originally developed as a dual purpose breed but now lower on egg laying in favour of fluff). They are very slow growing though - takes 30 odd weeks to get to a really good size although Priscilla Middleton who's one of the top breeders reckons they hit a nice meaty phase at about 9 weeks too (that's when she selects out some of the cockerels onto the table).

Not wishing to count my chicks before they hatch because there are a couple more yet to get completely out but I think I've just got 19 out of 21 hatched (the other two were fertile but died mid-term) so really happy with their fertility at the moment if you do want some. I've only got five laying hens in two different colours (the buffs are bigger) so I couldn't do enormous numbers but certainly enough to put under a broody.

Title: Re: Looking for free range meat bird eggs to hatch
Post by: Ryder on April 27, 2014, 01:37:28 pm

Andy, could I have details of that supplier?  I live in birmingham.   Also do you know what cross or breed he does?

Title: Re: Looking for free range meat bird eggs to hatch
Post by: Stereo on April 27, 2014, 02:06:57 pm

I would Ixworth would be a good bet. Plenty of eggs on ebay at the moment. I've just hatched 4 yesterday under a broody.