Good meat chickens

4 posts
Sun, 02/22/2015 - 11:17 #1

Member for

9 years 10 months
Bloorfamily
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 02/22/2015 - 10:51

Good meat chickens

Hi,

My husband and I are the proud new owers of a farm near traralgon in Vic. We have 75 acres , which is stocked with cows and sheep. We are quite keen on developing up to being self sufficent.

 

We are interested in getting some meat chickens to bread up and kill ourselves. We have just started to do this with our ducks and would love some advice on some good chicken breeds for this.

 

they need to be good temperment, able to get along with other animals. I don't care about egg production as I much prefer the duck eggs. We have a 17 month old daughter and need birds that will tolerate her. As well as a cheeky cat, and dog.

 

Any suggestions on breed types and any reputable breeders, preferably in the Gippsland area.

 

Thankyou

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Mon, 02/23/2015 - 12:22 #2
rmcpb
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/22/2012 - 11:13
For meat chooks we cross Rhode Island Reds with Austrolops. The hybrid vigour gives you a good chook in a relatively short time but its no where as quick as the commercially bred ones. They are fine for free ranging which is good for sequential grazing after your other animals have been on your pastures. I would keep a good eye on the roosters around your daughter, they get big and can be a bit stroppy. Should fit right into your system but you will have to "suffer" the chook eggs as well as your duck eggs. Cheers Rob
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Mon, 02/23/2015 - 23:01 #3
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi there,

I used to sell my spare free range chook eggs. Made some good pocket money that helped pay for the supplementary mixed grain and corn and shell grit, I used to feed them. I agree, I preferred my duck eggs to my chook eggs, especially for making cakes.

 

With roosters, I used to dock their spurs, as they can inflict some nasty wounds with them. Garden secatures are good for trimming the spurs. After you trim them you can use a fine file to round the edges off. Leave a centimetre  and smooth off after cutting. No, they don't like it, so I used to get my husband to hold them while I did the trimming.

 

The rooster, that attacked me and ripped a hole in my shin, tasted really good marinaded in red wine and garlic for 24 hours in the fridge, then cooked in the slow cooker. Roosters, especially Rhode Island Red ones, can be very savage and as Robb said,roosters are best kept away from little kids. Within any particular breed, some roosters have a meaner temperament than others. Our nasty ones ended up in the pot.

Cheers,

Barb

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Tue, 03/03/2015 - 11:21 #4
Bloorfamily
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 02/22/2015 - 10:51

Thank You Rob and Barb,

I figured as much with Roosters, I remember them being that way as a kid.

At the moment we have all our ducks and chooks free ranging round the house and Beth loves them so will have to put some thought into a rooster area.

 

Jo

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