Breeding Meaties?????

Reedyman · **Posted:** Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:09 pm

If i was to buy meat chicks from the local produce store and rear them on normal chick starter. Could i on time breed them? If not well how do they get the meaties you buy at the shop???

Tahir · **Posted:** Sat Oct 25, 2008 8:24 pm

you can breed meat chickens, but you have to make sure they aren't on a diet with to much protein and they have a lot of space to run around and burn off the weight.

Peacocks Australia · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2002 9:14 am **Posts:** 310755

Hi Reedyman you may find some of the info on the following site helpful: http://www.chicken.org.au/page.php?id=6

Thanks
P.A :lol:

Reedyman · **Posted:** Sat Oct 25, 2008 9:11 pm

Yeah PA found that site soon after posting this thread oh well good to get opinions

greenaus · **Posted:** Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:24 am

I'm like you...I'd try.

Does anyone know where meat chickens are cheap (no pun intended) around this area?

I remember they were $4 each at Jimboomba as day olds, but someone down south (too far south) mentioned picking up meat chickens for 60c.

If you want a good meat chicken, breed your own. Grab a couple of larger breeds and mix and match.

The boys I got from Lou grew pretty well. Orpington X Sussex.

Apparently Indian Game will give you more breast meat.

byhookorchook · **Joined:** Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:01 pm **Posts:** 571

One of my most loyal and reliable poultry friends breeds Transylvanian naked Neck Meat Chickens near brisbane. He has been breeding for all his life and has recipes down pat to prevent overfeeding. Several recipes bring meat chickens to an age where they will lay and reproduce for severl seasons where normal meat chickens will usually die before they are one. If you wish to get in touch with him, let me know and I will introduce you. but I will ask him first.

Meat x TNN's produce good flavour, lack of fat and easily plucked. I don't knowwhy commercial lines don't go for this type as there is less feather plucking to be done.

Frank

rocky · **Joined:** Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:36 pm **Posts:** 144

Some Israeli & French broiler lines include both TNN & Malays to reduce plucking. Suitable for warm climates, not northern & western Europe.

greenaus · **Posted:** Sun Oct 26, 2008 7:38 pm

Thanks for the additions.

As I said to BHOC in a PM, I hadn't even considered TNNs for meat (or eggs).

All worth consideration. I hope we don't go off topic by continuing to discuss other breeds. The original query was simply about everyday meat chickens.

Fortunately I don't expect to keep my chooks in Northern or Eastern Europe in the near future.

rocky · **Joined:** Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:36 pm **Posts:** 144

I had success in the past by putting day old meat chicks under an active broody. For the first 2 weeks the hen & chicks were penned and fed ad lib, but the food & water were at opposite ends of the pen,as far apart as possible. After two weeks the chicks were fed in the morning, then put out to free range with the broody for the day, & fed again when penned in the afternoon. To stop them getting too heavy they must have restricted feeding and lots of exercise. From 6 weeks on they also got a scratch feed of millet ,just a small handful,in the middle of the day. After weaning at six weeks they continued to free range, the chick starter being replaced with grower, and the millet with wheat or grain mix. It is a balance of feeding them for sufficient growth but not letting then get overweight.
The cockerels were more successful when bred back to the breed that I was improving in size, however the pullets were less so as they laid very few eggs.

Reedyman · **Posted:** Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:24 pm

All very interesting may give it a shot, got nothing to loose i guess.....

Brad

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