Raising The Best Meat Chicken Breeds on Your Homestead

There are many benefits to raising meat chickens. They are a great source of protein and can be very affordable. Meat chickens can also be very easy to care for. They don't require a lot of space and can be raised in almost any type of climate. 

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Raising The Best Meat Chicken Breeds on Your Homestead

Raising meat chickens on your homestead is a rewarding endeavor that ensures high-quality, flavorful meat while allowing you to maintain control over how your birds are raised. Whether you choose heritage breeds, broiler breeds, or dual-purpose birds, selecting the right chickens for meat production is key to achieving success.

Broiler Breeds: Rapid Growth for Meat Production

Broiler breeds are specifically bred for rapid growth rates and high meat yield. The most common broiler breed is the Cornish Cross, which reaches butchering weight in as little as 6-8 weeks. These large birds are favored for their tender, juicy meat, and efficient feed conversion. These are not birds that you are going to let free range on your homestead. You will need to buy broiler chicks as they probably won't live long enough to lay eggs for you to hatch.

• Cornish Cross Broilers: The industry standard for meat birds, these chickens grow extremely fast and are ready for processing at around 6-8 weeks of age. However, their rapid growth can lead to health issues such as leg problems and heart failure.
• Red Ranger Broilers: A slower-growing alternative to Cornish Crosses, Red Rangers take about 9-12 weeks to mature but are more active and well-suited for free-range systems.

Heritage Breeds: Traditional Flavor with Slower Growth

Heritage breeds take longer to mature but offer superior flavor and hardiness. A heritage breed chicken is well-suited for free-range environments and can be a great option for homesteaders looking for sustainable meat production. They are also great for self-sufficiency as you can hatch eggs from your own heritage chicken breeds.

• Brahma: A large bird that takes up to 6 months to reach full size, but produces flavorful meat and is a good dual-purpose breed.
• Delaware: A fast-growing heritage breed that matures in 12-16 weeks and provides a good balance of meat and egg production.
• Bresse: Famous for its exceptional flavor, this French breed is a prized choice for gourmet meat but requires a longer growing period.

Dual-Purpose Breeds: Meat and Egg Production

If you're looking for chickens that provide both meat and eggs, dual-purpose breeds are a practical choice. These birds offer steady egg production while still reaching a good size for meat. These birds are another great choice for self-sufficiency. Pick the best breed for your climate – keeping cold climates in mind so they will survive the winter to lay in the spring and summer.

• Plymouth Rock: Hardy and productive, Plymouth Rocks grow to a decent meat size while laying a steady supply of eggs.
• Orpington: Large, docile birds with good meat quality and reliable egg-laying ability.
• Wyandotte: A robust breed that can be raised for both purposes, with a good balance of size and meat quality.

Raising Meat Chickens Successfully

Most homesteaders start with day-old chicks, which require a warm brooder setup for the first few weeks of life. Keeping their environment at an appropriate temperature (95°F for the first week, decreasing by 5°F each week) is crucial for healthy growth. 

Providing Proper Nutrition

Feeding meat birds the right diet ensures proper growth and development. High-protein starter feed (20-24% protein) is recommended for the first few weeks, followed by a grower feed (18-20% protein) at about three weeks until they reach market weight. 

Managing Health Issues

Some broiler breeds, especially Cornish Cross, are prone to health problems due to their rapid growth rates. Providing proper space, a clean environment, and a balanced diet can help prevent leg issues and heart problems. I know some people around here will actually switch their broiler bird to a layer feed at about six weeks to help prevent heart attacks for example before they can be butchered.

Heritage and dual-purpose breeds tend to have fewer health concerns but require a longer growing period.

Raising Free-Range or Pastured Birds

Allowing chickens to forage and free-range can improve meat quality and reduce feed costs. While broilers like Cornish Cross are not a good option for free ranging, they are slower moving than most backyard chickens making them more susceptible to predators. Slower-growing breeds like a dual-purpose chicken breed and heritage birds thrive in a free-range system.

Harvesting at the Right Time

Timing the butchering process correctly is essential for meat quality.

• Cornish Cross: 6-8 weeks
• Red Rangers: 9-12 weeks
• Heritage Breeds: 16-24 weeks
• Dual-Purpose Breeds: 18-24 weeks

Gender is Irrelevant When Raising Meat Chickens

Selective breeding for raising meat chickens has led to birds that achieve five pounds in 8 to 10 weeks, with breast meat of up to two inches wide. Allowing them to reproduce will not produce the same quality offspring. Also, these chickens are too fat to fully mature sexually.

The cockerels developed larger red wattles but were still unable to crow, and though the pullets dressed out at five pounds and the cockerels at six.

You are very unlikely to grow out meat chickens to have them reproduce on their own.

Raising Meat Chickens Humanely and Organically is Easy

What one person sees as humane can be negotiable to another. Excessive cruelty includes a lack of veterinary service, inadequate nutrition, and unsafe water, or regular injury to chickens.

If a chicken won’t move out of a two-square-foot area, is it inhumane to only give it the space it’ll use? Is it inhumane to enclose them if open fields leave them vulnerable?

It is important to give them appropriate space and to clean their coop/run. A popular choice is to use a chicken tractor so that you can move them around throughout both the weeks you raise them and even in the middle of the day. They are going to kill the grass wherever you put them.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Raising Meat Birds

How long do you raise meat birds? Cornish cross broilers (most commonly raised) need only six to eight weeks to reach a market carcass weight of four to six pounds.

How much space do you need for 25 meat birds? How big should a chicken coop for 25 chickens be? As a general rule, a coop should give each chicken about 4 square feet of space.

What age can meat birds go outside? Cornish Cross Broilers grow extremely fast and are typically mostly feathered and ready to move to their outdoor space by 3 weeks of age, depending on the climate. 

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