[sellickbhoy]

Hi

i'm planning on some chooks, but don't eat much eggs, so, i'm looking for something purely for the pot.

any suggestions?

I am gonna get 1 black rock as they are a gorgeous colour, but not much eating on them

[tomandbarbara]

Hello, I am relatively new to this myself, but i am rearing some sasso chicks for meat.
They are a medium size bird.
I believe Hubbards are supposed to be nice, but get quite large quickly.
Cobbs and Ross are big birds aswell but I have read that they don't taste as good as others.
If you need any contact info i think i still have it on file.

Hope this helps

[Rosemary]

We had Hubbards last year and have them again now. We bought them day old and they should be ready between 10 and 12 weeks. Last year we had 5 - 4 cocks and one hen - we killed them at 12 weeks and they were between 5.5 and 7lb oven ready. the flavour was fabulous even day 3 in curry!

[sellickbhoy]

rosemary

just out of interest, how much does it cost to buy day olds?

ta

[Rosemary]

We paid £1.20 each.

[harry]

if you really want long term table birds go for IXWORTHS, eggs, chicks are expensive but you get what you pay for, get a breeding trio then hatch the eggs off for rearing for the table, ready in 20 weeks, and sell the hens, GENUINE IXWORTHS hens make £30 pol, there are a lot of fake ixworths available be aware buy from a good breeder. a genuine dayold ixworth may cost you £3 + ,,,,,, £1 - £2 ixworths probably arent pure ixworths,,,,,COBBS are no good for free range they are meant for sitting in a cage getting fat. RIR Xs are worth a try.... regards harry

[carl]

That sounds reassuring Harry. I have a trio of ixy's and have quite a few eggs incubating. let me know if you want any fertile eggs posting your way sellickbhoy.
i am hoping to rear a few for the pot, and they also lay a few eggs. A neighour has an Indian game cock and we are going to try some x's. also l/s crosses. pure light sussex is a good dual purpose bird and we have eaten a few cockerels, not sure how heavy, how quickly but at @6months made good roasts and good casseroles.

[northfifeduckling]

The French chickens are most superiour to any British breed for eating.  Our local free range chicken farm buys fertile eggs from France. They are exclusively corn fed. Maybe some folks in France know what the breed is called (they are white in colour), but if you want I can try to find out from the farm.

[Hilarysmum]

northifieduckling you have really cheered me up.  I have some of those french white birds.  Although traditionally they should be kept in at the most a small plot.  Mine free range.  As they get bigger they do find it harder to keep up with the egg layers.  They follow me everywhere, and its going to be really, really hard, but at least I know now that they will be tasty.  Thanks.

[northfifeduckling]

I had a good chat with Paul from the farm the other day and that they are growing so much slower makes them to tasty (and the feed). The texture of the meet is just so different, I'll never have another one of these bland birds from the supermarkets again, free range or not. We used to get ours frozen from France from a games dealer, but they stopped importing them. I am so happy that Rose and Paul started their farm off near us!

[harry]

The only problem with this sort of question is that the more replies you get the less you will learn, you have had advise so far on Hubbards, Ross, Ixworths, RIR, l,sussex, french birds, xs cross, l sussex x, all of which is correct and interesting on what different people think..... i will say i tried these slower growing french birds, they are called sassos, and found they had a long narrow breast so not loads of breast meat,,,, ime now going to try large l sussex and sussex ixworth x to hopefully get bigger breasts........ FRENCH BIRDS, BIGGER BREASTS........ OH NO MISSUS.

[carl]

iNFORMATION OVERLOAD These are not life threatening decisions,( except the poor birds). Try whatever takes your fancy, theres always next year.
just had my first ixworth hatch out today, proves the old boy is working.

[northfifeduckling]

and it's a matter of taste...I prefer leg meat to breast, can't be bothered if chickens' breast are big or long lol

[harry]

i have been told that you must kill ixworths at about 20 weeks, dont know how true that is or what they are like if older.... i will probably start doing mine at 15 weeks if big enough....... by the way now hatching ixworths closely related to show winning stock and Alyseburys, so anyone in east anglia wants any contact me,,,, i live on the Ipswich rd near Diss.........  tel 01508 530927

[harry]

If you prefer leg meat theres only one bird you need to consider, its the Columbian Cifak prononounce CFK, first found in the jungles of columbia where most chickens origanated, its a rare breed only domesticated in the last 5 years and appeared in the UK about 3 years ago, but the amazing thing is, is that it has 4 legs. Its a very close relation to ordinary poultry and apparently tastes the same, a flightless chicken but extremly hard to catch as it can run like hell. There are 3 breeders in the UK. If interested l could find where they are..... regards Harry