Meat Birds?-what would you use?

bcboy wrote: Re: Meat Birds?-what would you use? Today at 6:33 pm
Hello Call Duck, what part of Canada are you from? Thanks.

Hey from the east coast.

Okay so I'm new to this farm-y thing as well  

I have lucked out and had some really truly helpful people teach me some really helpful tips. Along with their teachings, opinions and my own way of learning "hands on". I have raised both MG's and Cornish side by side and personally found that I prefer the MG's carcass because when I process my own birds I can get my hand in there to do "clean" out. They get out there and act like birds, chicken birds  . Most of my weights have been around 4-5lbs. Which works out great for my family. This year I pieced them out and got some great legs and breasts from my group.

On the other side I treat my meaties like I do my layers. With the respect and love that I can provide them as corny as it sounds they are providing me and my family with food and life. I like knowing that I can provide quality of life for them.

I too am going to be trying to do a X between a dark Cornish Roo and some 1st generation MG hens I have. My MG hens are wonderful birds who are now approaching 2 years and I haven't lost 1 to obesity or legs problems. "knock" on wood. They also layer wonderful eggs.

That's my 2 cents.

Well..this is great!
I like the idea of the Mistral Gris because they are supposed to be hearty....without being heart attacky..and they do go out and dig in the dirt like a regular bird. I would not be able to raise a bird that didn't go outside...i need to raise them as the animal they are..they need to chase bugs, dig, and make a mess of things.
Someone was complaining..perhaps not..but lamenting the costs of the abbatoire ..and i have to disagree.
I don't care..i would probably even pay more
because, i raise them; these funny little chickens...then i put them in little crates and drive them down the road....at the end of the day i pick up these tidy little packages that have the weights written on them. My husband and i are already far too busy with working full time and getting our farm up and running the way we want it to to spend a day or so butchering birds, burying or burning the entrails and plucking...or borrowing a plucker...ghads..
i am sorry...such a wuss i am-
my friend who is still part owner of this abattoire does not make money...and they should probably charge more.
i look forward to hearing the final weights from you ipf?
i guess the MG grow till they are 3 months old
keep these comments coming..i am learning so much

Higgins...sorry..will learn the quotes some other day...good fast genetic lesson..now will have to go back and re-read the MG info