[loopy]

This year we want to hatch some chickens and ducks for the table for the first time.

Having read umpteen posts, i am struggling to establish which would give us good tasting, sizeable birds in a fairly quick time period.

Ducks - Pekin, Aylesbury, and Cherry Valley have all been mentioned - which is best?

Chickens - Hubbards, Ross Cobbs, Light Sussex, Ixworths, Indian Game, and Master Gris have all been mentioned but again which are best?

And what dressed weights should i expect from each breed and about how old would they need to be to achieve said weights?

Quite happy to buy in hatching eggs, but as possible consideration, i have a Light Sussex cockeral, and various pullets as per my signature thingy!

Really hope someone on here can answer my questions, especially if there is anyone that has ever trialled the various breeds to come to a conclusion of their own as to what is the best chicken and what is the best duck!

thanks L

[langdon]

sorry loopy cant answer ypur question,
as we our selves are going to be doing the same thing hopefully so i will be
keeping an eye on those replys!!

[Hermit]

We breed Aylesbury and Swedish blue ducks and have crosses and pure bred twixt the two and they are delicious, my favourite meat. We are trying a few chicken crosses this year for meat, last year we crossed RIR cock with Light Sussex hens. They auto sex so just a choice for that really. Slow to mature but really tasty. Indian game give a broader bird and we are croosing IG hens(hens are best to cross if you do IGX) with large Marran cocks. Should be a good sized bird. But remember if you do pedigree or 1st crosses they do mature slower and also according to breed. Half the fun is experimenting. Hermit

[loopy]

Hi Hermit

have you ever crossed an Indian Game hen with a Light Sussex cockeral?

And any idea what ages you killed the Aylesbury ducks and the RIR crossed with Light Sussex's and the weights of each at those ages?

I've not bred chickens before and really don't have much knowledge re chicken genetics, but having had layers for a while now, i want to move up a level, and increase my knowledge on what breeds are good for big birds, that are tasty, and i've no idea as to if you cross a with b what c looks like, tastes like, weighs etc....i assume there are "good crosses" and "bad crosses" and just trying to get a feel for what other's experience has taught them through their trial and error breeding!  So any input anyone can give would be appreciated!

thanks L

[Hermit]

We are doing IG crosses for the first time this year so could not tell you outcome yet. As for weghts etc I dont keep records, sorry, just do the wicked witch finger prodding test, who feels the best gets the chop!. The ducks get the chop as soon as the curly feathers on the tail appear on the males.Then we decide if we want to keep any females, all the males go. Half the fun is experimenting, good luck Hermit

[Wizard]

Hey up hermit Is that the new DEFRA approved way I alust picked em up shook em gently to see if they rattled

[harry]

THE REASON is that there are many bests mentioned there is not one supreme best, you have to pick 2 and have a go, then next year try another 2.... ime trying ixworth X hubbard, and hubbard X light sussex, this spring. got the pens ready today.