[harry]

can hubbards breed, the reason i ask is that i got 7 sevaral weeks ago to grow on for Xing with some ixworths to make a bigger table bird. ive fed them carefully not stuffing them with growers but useing corn, maize, wheat etc to slow them down, but i have 2 cockerals and dispite the diet he has now gone off his legs at about 16 weeks and is big, i wonder if too big to mate. has anyone had a bird that went off their feet and recovered. or has bred hubbards.

[MiriMaran]

I may be wrong, but as far as I am aware the cartilage in their legs go as it is not designed to carry that amount of wieght.  If this is the case recovery is very unlikely.  Somebody with more experience will be able to tell you.  I once saw a programme on intensive Turkey farming and the males had to be 'milked' and the females AI'd.

[shetlandpaul]

you can get a slower growing hubbard sorry i forget the number. it maybe worth trying i have two in the brooder i was hoping to cross with some of the standard breeds.

[harry]

yes i know about slower hubbards, i think i will have a change of plan, maybe a indian game cockeral x ixworth, ive still got one good hubbard standing, will see how he goes.

[milly molly]

we had a hubbard cock lived for 2 yrs untill he went for the pot, was very vigerous with the girls(one of the reasons to pot him) very tasty even then.
joools in cumbria i believe still has some from the same batch running about happy.

mandy

[harry]

PERHAPS when the young hubbard cockeral i have gets started he will loose a bit of weight, hes got about 20 girls to choose from, on the other hand that may induce a heart attack.

[MiriMaran]

At least he'll die happy