[FrostyM]

My mission for this year is to start breeding some meat birds. I am trying to get as much experience in different areas before hopefully in the future setting up a smallholding. Last year was pigs, which i loved keeping. This year I have decided to concentrate on some chickens for meat and a selection of veg.


I have been trying to decide on what breed to go for. I have some hens for eggs at the moment which are a mix of RIR, Light Sussex, a speckled Sussex and a bluebell. I had toyed with the idea of getting a RIR cockrel to put over my light Sussex for a sex linked breed but am unsure of the size of the birds from that cross. I then thought about an Indian Game cock over the light Sussex for a bigger bird. While looking up whereabouts I could get some Indian Game I discovered a breeder selling them who also has La Bresse Gauloise for sale. When I looked them up they sound great but I haven't heard of anyone else keeping them in this country (Ireland) so am unsure about them.


Basically I am looking for any help and opinions on any of the breeds or crosses I have mention or any other breeds people use for meat birds? I would also be very interested if anyone has kept La Bresse Gauloise and has any information on them.


Thanks for reading 

[hughesy]

We've just eaten a couple of our Ixworth cockerels and they were very good. Suppose it depends if you want to stick to traditional breeds or raise modern hybrids that are designed to finish just like the chickens you get from supermarkets. We also have RIR and Light Sussex which will produce a reasonable meat bird but I wouldn't keep them specifically for eating.

[FrostyM]

Actually now that you mention Ixworth, the breeder who has the La Bresse and Indian Game also keeps Ixworth so that is another option. I wouldn't be interested in the quick finishing supermarket type hybrids, I would like to try some more traditional breeds and don't mind waiting for them to mature. I had suspected as much with the RIR x LS, more a laying cross where you can eat the unwanted cockerels rather than a straight forward meat breed? What size did your Ixworth cockerels get to if you dont mind my asking?

[deepinthewoods]

indian game over light sussex is a good utility cross and my last light sussex cockerels were fine eating.

[Glaswegian]

hi,i am also looking to keep a few meat birds this year ,and also read an indian game cock over a sussex hen produces a fine meat bird,i can get hold of a couple of sussex locally,but i can't for the life of me find any indian game cock for sale (i'm in sligo,ireland) so if anyone in the nw knows of one for sale,would you give me a shout.


                                 cheers johnie.

[hughesy]

What size did your Ixworth cockerels get to if you dont mind my asking?

The two we've just killed weighed about 10lb apiece dead weight. We've had slightly larger Light Sussex but the Ixworths had a better shape and more breast meat on them. Also the RIR and LS that we've eaten in the past have tended to be a bit tough and need longer cooking times but this wasn't the case with the Ixworths.

[FrostyM]

I was hoping the Indian Game over the sussex should put some more breast meat on the birds than the pure light sussex. I do like the sound of the Ixworths. Maybe if I got an Indian Game cockerel and maybe an Ixworth trio I could use them and my light sussex to see what cross I like best out of the combinations available. Plenty of tinkering for me to try that way 


Glaswegian, I would say keep an eye on donedeal.ie as Indian Game pops up there every so often also the irishfowl.com site has a breeders section where you can search by breed. Not sure how up to date the details are on there but could be worth sending a few emails to see?

[Glaswegian]

thanks frosty.i've been watching the sites you've mentioned,and surely there is indian game for sale,but these could be in cork,kerry,or any part of the country. i've been hoping to find one in the north west region to save on a lot of travel.


                                       cheers.

[FrostyM]

There are two breeders on here in Roscommon if that's would suit? I don't know if they have any this year or anything but no harm sending an email to check


http://www.irishfowl.com/irish-poultry-breeders.php?q=indian%20game&name=Indian%20Game




edit: Just spotted there is one listed for sligo there too

[ScotsGirl]

A friend took 3 of my cockerels, light Sussex and RIR, but he said no breast meat worth talking about although legs good. Is there a way of improving on this?

[Castle Farm]

Cockerels2.wmv

Improved Indian Game and Breest

[graham-j]

Hi,I think if I were you I would go straight for the Le Bresse,I would go straight for some of those as you have a breeder near you.The are meant to be very much like a Ixworth but better they eat more and mature quicker.They are arrantly pretty good layers at 250 a year.
I totaly agree about not bothering to eat LS or RIR cockerels they are all leg and no breast,which is of coarse the whole point of crossing them with the IG which is double breasted.


Graham.

[FrostyM]

I had heard little about the La bresse but what I have heard seems to be similar to what you say, quick maturing to a good size and good layer. Apparently hard to get a hold of outside of France, seems I just got lucky by stumbling across a breeder. If they are similar to the Ixworth then I might just try them out to see how I go with them. I have heard that the French raise la bresse on milk and grain in a wooden box to keep the meat tender, I would have no interest in that, I would be free ranging as much as possible. I presume they should still reach a good size in a decent amount of time. If they are a properly dual purpose bird and lay a good number of eggs then I could also use them to add to me egg laying flock as I need replacements. They are looking like the best option at the minute then

[deepinthewoods]

if i had access to le bresse down here, i would definitely be keen to try them, let us know how you get on

[funkyfish]

We crossed our IG boy with a commercial hen we have, just to test the incubator etc- got 4 cockerels. At 6 months old they killed out at 2.2 kg, nice amount of meat and were very tasty! So put over any utility bird, I think would produce a nice meat bird!