[madchickenlady]

I think I will probably buy in some hatching eggs this year maybe keep a couple of pullets but then would have to source an unrelated cock bird, so not sure, may just buy in hatching eggs each year. If I do get a cock it would need to be a docile type breed and not too big as I made the mistake of mismatching sizes when I first kept hens and the poor girls spent most of the time under the hedge where he couldn't get!
Not sure about type of breed either, I like the idea of keeping rare breeds to keep them going but have no experience of them and I have six mixed hens at the moment plus four bantams not sure how they mix (or not)?

[Dave C]

If there hybrids or crosses I wouldn't worry to much about an unrelated cock bird as doubling up and sealing in those genes isn't a bad thing.

The size maybe an issue for you as a meat bird cockerel is always going to be a big lad.

You could maybe look into an Indian Game bantam 
They are small but solid and pass on their wide double breast when crossed.

[Charlie1234]

Hi All
Just joined but have spoken to Dave C on P.P.

Very interesting post as I am breeding for meat also.
Currently trying some:

I.G x Light sussex
I.G. x La Bresse
I.G. x columbian blacktail
Jersey Giant x Light Sussex x C.B.T

Also considering some :
I.G x Speckledy
I.G. x Rhode island reds
I.G. x Plymouth Rock

[madchickenlady]

Thanks for the info. I think I will try to source some eggs as soon as my regular broody starts sitting. If anyone knows of any reliable sources in the Suffolk area ( I am between Bury St. Edmund's and Ipswich) for meat or laying birds I would be most interested. Have sourced eggs before at the local auction but they are not always reliable. My OH has agreed to re home two cockatiels for a mate - so I now have a bargaining chip to finally get some quail as I have read that they can live in the same aviary. 

[Dave C]

Hi All
Just joined but have spoken to Dave C on P.P.

Very interesting post as I am breeding for meat also.
Currently trying some:

I.G x Light sussex
I.G. x La Bresse
I.G. x columbian blacktail
Jersey Giant x Light Sussex x C.B.T

Also considering some :
I.G x Speckledy
I.G. x Rhode island reds
I.G. x Plymouth Rock

Hello mate 
Some interesting crosses you have there how old are they?

Very interested to see how they compare, are they all from the same IG cockerel?

[Charlie1234]

Hi Dave
Yeah the I.G. Cockerel is to blame for all of the chicks,as I currently only have him 
I have 9 four week old I.G X CBT Chicks
2 I.G X L.S
Forgot to mention 3 Four week old cobb chicks that I got from Cyril Bason as day olds,I have vowed never again as they are huge and have trouble walking already.
The slow grown birds/meat is our thing!!

The J.G X L.S. X CBT and the I.G X Bresse Have just been sold to a friend that had a visit from the fox.

I now have a clear paddock,free of badger faced sheep. Fences are being redone and shed ordered for I.G  Only.!!

[Dave C]

I'm guessing those are breeds you already had about the place.
I'm looking to do a Marans cross myself.

I'm with you on the Cobb hybrids not my cup of tea either.
But I do like the slow growth hybrids I did last year, they are still very healthy and the hens have laid all winter so will see if they breed true in the next few months.

What is your long term goal mate, searching for a cross that nicks together?
Also what weights and timeframes are you hoping for?
Also the IG your going to hatch are you looking for them to cross breed or try to improve them as a pure breed?

I know, I'm nosey 

[Charlie1234]

Hi
Long story,short time so here`s the quick version.
Family Business was poultry/eggs mum+dad kept a few hundred hens to supply local shops,cafe`s etc.
Dad diagnosed cancer,mum had stroke
me+mrs got laid off our long time jobs
took over business and expanded it massively
ended up selling quail to ostrich eggs (we never kept ostrich) and everything inbetween
2 years of rushing around to markets,shops,food festivals etc took its toll and I had a heart attack
sold up,moved to middle of nowhere.
self sufficiency is our thing now,our badger faced sheep we grow + eat,fruit veg etc in poly tunnel,chickens for eggs + meat as I cant stomach the mass produced C**p in the supermarkets.

I grew some I.G. x L.S last year, gave me some nice 2.2kg carcasses at 35 - 40 weeks but I did run them free range until the last 3 weeks,then kept them in the stables and upped the food.
We tend to eat a lot of chicken as I have to watch the ticker these days and refuse to buy from shops.

Always had  indian game, shamo`s  + Kulang asils as a kid and the old man would have one on the table most sundays and the taste was awesome 

The indian game I want to hatch will be 50-50 some to keep pure as I really like the breed and the others to play with in crossing for meat.

 I have an incubator with some R.I.R. + Plymouth rocks due to hatch thursday which I will be trying to cross to produce meat birds also.

[Dave C]

Sounds like you've had a busy and rough ride pal, pleased things are looking up for you.

How did you find the carcass of the IG x LS was there much breast meat?

Think both of us will have plenty chicken dinners this year mate 

[Charlie1234]

The I.G. x L.S. was a decent size carcass with a fair bit of breast mate.
My L.S. are some of Fred Hams old birds + they are well built girls
A mate of mine used a modern light sussex he picked up from a place near Leominster
and he said the carcass was small.

My Mrs is jamaican so plenty of jerk chicken for me 

[Dave C]

Worming mine this week so will be ready to go when this dam lockdown is over 

[Dave C]

Charlie1234 - How are the chicks doing?


Any pics?

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

im thinking of crossing my cou cou de rennes cockerel with some IG x LS hens

[Dave C]

They sound tasty 
How are they doing?

I'm looking to do something similar with my Cukoo Marans but breed them the other way round so I get Sex linked chicks.

Will be trying my Sasso hybrid Cockerel over them then a pure Indian Game cockerel to compare results.

[Bramham Wiltshire Horns]

ye they are doing well mate
hitting maturity well cock bird is 3.2kg at 24 weeks
but these restrictions are doing my head in?

they could do with been out
one of the females weighs 2.5kg and has a nice covering of meat

when the chicks arrive i will feed them on a higher protien diet see if i can get them to weight a bit quicker