MEATBIRDS-BREED & HATCHERY, WHAT TO BUY/WHERE TO BUY THEM

[Alexxxdimmm]

i have done some research and mcmurray hatchery is the best place i have found so far. I am looking for a meat bird that grows fastest, and largest. Mcmurray's Jumbo Cornish Cross (Cornish X Rocks)
is suppossed to be ready at 8 weeks, 7.5lbs for males, 5.5lbs for female,
and it looks like according to their website, they aint the healthiest and probably wont make it past 10 weeks.
lets not discuss morality here. Is there any benefit, besides a higher survival rate, to choosing a different broiler? is there any other breed that can grow at a similar rate, or a comparable breed?
Does anyone have any experience with Mcmurray?
is anyone aware of another hatchery where i can buy around 10 birds, Mcmurray requires a purchase of 25 and thats a few more than i wanted to order to start. plus butchering 25 birds will be a big job for just me.

 

[Kiki]

https://www.cacklehatchery.com/product/jumbo-cornish-cross/

 

[NatJ]

is anyone aware of another hatchery where i can buy around 10 birds, Mcmurray requires a purchase of 25 and thats a few more than i wanted to order to start. plus butchering 25 birds will be a big job for just me.

McMurray will let you order as few as 6 birds, during certain months of the year, with a small-order surcharge. I presume that applies to the Jumbo Cornish Cross too, since their page has the little banner saying " Order as few as 6 Mix & match for 6 chick minimum order. Learn More"

As regards butchering, you do not have to do them all on one day. Yes, it is still a big job, but you can spread it out over several weeks, starting at quite an early age.
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/cornish_game_hens.html
This page says the "Cornish Game Hens" are the same birds as the Jumbo Cornish Cross, but they are butchered at 2 1/2 pounds live weight. If you start butchering a few when they are that small, and then keep going as they grow, you are more likely to make it through 25 before they have health issues. For each butchering session, look for any birds that are not walking well or otherwise looking less healthy, and do them first. That leaves the healthiest ones to grow the longest, and some of them can probably go a bit past 8 or 10 weeks before having trouble.

As regards other hatcheries that might have different minimums:
Ideal Poultry has a minimum in dollars rather than number of birds.
Cackle Hatchery will ship as few as three (with a small order surcharge.)
Hoovers is showing a minimum of 15.

lets not discuss morality here. Is there any benefit, besides a higher survival rate, to choosing a different broiler? is there any other breed that can grow at a similar rate, or a comparable breed?

Cornish Cross from other hatcheries should have a similar growth rate. No pure breed or heitage-type chicken is going to even come close. I don't know for sure about the various colored broiler types: they may come close or they may not, but they are definitely not going to beat the white ones.

Does anyone have any experience with Mcmurray?

I've ordered from them once (no problems), and I know some other people who have also ordered from them without trouble. I've seen threads from people who did have problems, and threads from people who did not. I think they are as good as any of the other big hatcheries.

 

[FunClucks]

I get my CX from Welp - they have awesome prices. 25 at a time or less can be ordered. Last time I processed from 5 wks to 9 weeks to get through all of them just by myself on evenings and weekends. I made the 5 wk through a few 7 wk birds into roasts with skin, and skinned and parted the rest. Took a while, but worth it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mcmurray's Jumbo Cornish Cross (Cornish X Rocks)

I don't like McMurray's description of the Jumbo Cornish Cross. I consider it misleading. In the 1950's the Cornish Cross was developed as a fast growing meat bird and soon took over the commercial market. They did start breeding Cornish and White Rocks but that did not make the Cornish Cross. It took selective breeding by people that understood genetics to develop the meat bird we have today. They have continued to develop the CX but the basics were set in the 1950's.

Different companies have developed different strains of CX so there are small differences but the basic bird is the same, fast growth and very good feed to meat conversion ratio.

it looks like according to their website, they aint the healthiest and probably wont make it past 10 weeks.

The Cornish X are bred to be eaten early, not kept for eggs or as pets. They are so efficient at putting on weight they can develop medical issues and die or become crippled at a young age. As it is, many people find that they need to restrict their diet a bit to keep them from eating themselves to death. It is generally recommended to butcher by 8 weeks.

Is there any benefit, besides a higher survival rate, to choosing a different broiler? is there any other breed that can grow at a similar rate, or a comparable breed?

Technically they are not a breed. They are a 4-way hybrid from four distinct grandparent flocks, each with their own traits. No other chicken grows as fast or has as good a feed to meat conversion ratio.

Different strains of Rangers or similar birds were developed to grow really fast but to be easier to raise on pasture. Instead of butchering by 8 weeks with the Rangers you can wait until 12 weeks of age. Even with them getting nutrition from pasture your feed costs may be higher. If you are trying to continually raise new flocks of meat birds you can't raise as many in a year or your season as your facilities are tied up longer for each batch.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

If you're just getting 10 birds, just go to Tractor Supply, Rural King, or the local farm store and pick up some Cornish X. If you try to get 10 birds online, some places require a $30+ small order charge, making it cheaper to just go to the farm store. Also, my Cornish X from TSC have done very well.

 

[Molpet]

I bought 6 from the local big box farm store to see if they were what I wanted to raise. Decided to keep one to breed for a larger sustainable hobby meat mutts . Most of my flock are out of her cockerels.

 

[aimee750]

Although I have raised a lot of cornish cross, I'm not their biggest fan. However, if you are going to go with them I highly recommend Welp Hatchery.