What is your favorite heritage breed meat chicken?

[obsidian73]

I am wanting to raise some free range heritage chickens for meat (Not to sell, just for my family and I) and am looking to get some feedback on those who do. What is your favorite breed and why? I was thinking of maybe Buff Orpingtons, Jersey Giants, RIR or Barred Rocks.

P.S. I am not looking for input on an hybrids (cornish cross, freedom rangers etc.). Just heritage breeds.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Well, I really like Naked Necks but I'm not sure they're considered heritage. I also really like Delawares and I'm trying out dorkings this spring

 

[obsidian73]

Well, I really like Naked Necks but I'm not sure they're considered heritage. I also really like Delawares and I'm trying out dorkings this spring

Oh really. What do you like about them, just the flavor or do they dress out really well?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Naked Necks are bred to be easier to pluck. They have more patches with little feathering on their inside thighs and wings besides just the neck area. I like skin on my birds so i pluck instead of skinning which makes it take longer without a plucker

 

[Flat Earth]

white legbar, non stop egg laying.

 

[obsidian73]

white legbar, non stop egg laying. View attachment 2478511

From what I understand they dont have a lot of meat on them.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Keep in mind that nontraditional meat birds will probably take a year to be able to process at a large weight. I vote rooster Bielefelders, they are huge birds.
I'm raising Bielefelders and they are feather sexable. I'm going to raise or sell females and use males for processing. I incubate the eggs.

 

[obsidian73]

Naked Necks are bred to be easier to pluck. They have more patches with little feathering on their inside thighs and wings besides just the neck area. I like skin on my birds so i pluck instead of skinning which makes it take longer without a plucker

Yeah I am definately going to be investing in a plucker when I start doing it. Any idea what they end up weighing afterwords?

 

[obsidian73]

Keep in mind that nontraditional meat birds will probably take a year to be able to process at a large weight. I vote rooster Bielefelders, they are huge birds.
I'm raising Bielefelders and they are feather sexable. I'm going to raise or sell females and use males for processing. I incubate the eggs.

Oh wow I hadn't seen those. Have you eaten them? I would be interested in getting some chicks from you have some available. (Actually I forgot I am not on my local FB groups LOL) I should look for someone closer to me.

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

Be aware that you can't get "heritage" type stock from a hatchery, you'll have to get breeding stock from a breeder and hatch your own stock.

That being said, a lot of standardbred dual-purpose breeds have excellent meat qualities, but they will take 4-5 months to get to butcher size. Barred Plymouth Rocks and Buckeyes and New Hampshires and Delawares are all popular options. I know people that get nice carcass quality off standardbred Marans, Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns too. My point is, whatever breed you like can be a good meat breed, but you gotta start with good stock—preferably from someone that's been breeding the line a long time and puts their culls in their own freezer so they can tell you about them.

Part of meeting the standard of perfection for show quality birds includes a well-filled frame with good muscle quality. Hatchery stock selection tends to favor early layers and completely ignores meat qualities.