Best Meat Birds for HOT climate!

[TexasGoatGal]

Hi, I'm just starting out with chickens, and I'd like to get some meat birds in addition to egg layers.

I've been reading a number of the posts here, and it appears that the CornishX don't do real well in the heat - is this a correct conclusion for what I've been reading?

I live deep in south west Texas, where the temp can get to 110+ in the summer months, and we do have some humidity. I have barn areas where I can provide shade for the chickens, but I'm wondering which breeds will flourish best in this type of environment?

Would you suggest that I use a dual purpose breed instead of the meat birds, given the heat? Or should I just plan to not keep meat birds during the hotter months, processing everything by say the first of June, and then waiting until September to start up again?

Thanks for you input, I appreciate all of your suggestions!

 

[Bossroo]

Being in the high desert of Central Cal.,( summer temps reached 114-117* for 3 weeks straight) I raised the Cornish X to 6-8 weeks of age in batches of 25 , one each in the spring, fall and winter and send them to freezer camp. Why raise a chicken for 18-24 weeks to get less meat per bird than the Cornish X if I don't have to ? This way I get the HOT summer off .

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

again I am right there with bossroo, raise them in the winter.

 

[GiddyMoon]

I haven't raised them yet but we are in AZ...everything I have researched told me this as well. I will be doing it in spring and fall and taking the summers off.

 

[TexasGoatGal]

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts, comments and ideas!

 

[KaneMoa]

I live in central California as well, and we raise cornish cross straight through summer. We provide lots of shade, lots of water(every 10 feet put a waterer, and we carefully feed only during the cooler parts of the day. We remove feeders from pen between feedings. If managed right, by not allowing them to get too fat and lazy, you can do it. On really hot days we will replace waterers as often as possible. Cool water lowers they're body temp. Sometimes waterers in a coop can get very warm, defeats the purpose. A major problem can be averted by keeping an eye on water temperature. We also regulate the amount of corn they intake, it seems to heat them up. Whole heads of greenleaf lettuce fresh from the fridge help out a bunch also. They love it as a treat and its revitalizes them, as well as helps make them more nutritious. We have had a lot of success with these methods, hope it helps. As far as best meat bird for hot weather I'd say anything but the cornish will do fine if you provide the right environment. Although our Barred Rocks don't like the heat too much while our Australorps do just fine, very active and forage well still. And the Australorps will go across county to get water while a cornish cross won't go 10 feet. It's all a matter of flock management and how hard you want to work. Good luck.