Ross Cobb meat birds

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Ross Cobb meat birds
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NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4627
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 17 5:57 pm Post subject:
Literally be unable to stand properly. In some cases due to illness or injury, but in this intensive breed it's just a fact of life (their muscles outgrow their strength or skeleton, they can't stand).

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Wed Jul 19, 17 8:50 pm Post subject:
Essentially, they put on weight too quickly and their bones never catch up.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 7:58 am Post subject:
On the other hand, I've currently got eleven three to four month old Light Sussex cockerels running around on free range, that will be at least another three months older before they are ready for the table. I'm shovelling food down them but while they aren't commercially viable, their taste and texture will be far superior.

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 8:10 am Post subject:
I'm doing the same with Guinea Fowl at the moment.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 8:51 am Post subject:
Shan, I've got seven keats that I hatched about five or six weeks ago. I had some twenty odd years ago and I'm all at sea with these. Maybe we could exchange notes: I'd try and get a photo but we still haven't sorted PB or a substitute.

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 9:21 am Post subject:
Thanks NMG and Shan. That's very sad. Is that a fault with the breed or because of how they are reared?

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 10:09 am Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

Shan, I've got seven keats that I hatched about five or six weeks ago. I had some twenty odd years ago and I'm all at sea with these. Maybe we could exchange notes: I'd try and get a photo but we still haven't sorted PB or a substitute.

Yes, not a problem.

I hatched 5 under a broody chicken. Currently, they are following madam chicken round the garden... and occasionally the neighbour's garden.

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 10:14 am Post subject:

sgt.colon wrote:

Thanks NMG and Shan.

That's very sad. Is that a fault with the breed or because of how they are reared?

It's a bit of both. The breed is designed to grow extremely quickly for commercial purposes but it 'can' be slowed down by lowering protein levels. Trouble is, when supermarkets are selling chickens so cheaply, every extra day increases the cost.

e.g. Ross 308 Performance statistics:

*Live weight at 56 days: 4kg
*Live weight at 70 days: 4.9kg
*Performance as hatched, males can reach 5kg+ at 84 days (12 weeks)

sgt.colon

Joined: 27 Jul 2009
Posts: 7380
Location: Just south of north.

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 10:40 am Post subject:
Thanks Shan.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 10:46 am Post subject:

Bodger wrote:

You can always post pics straight to here using the Attach File link as long as you've got them on your computer. PhotoBucket don't appear to be backing down at all.

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 12:08 pm Post subject:
That's good to know Sean

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 12:36 pm Post subject:
I'll try get some photos of the little blighters today. PS Madam chicken has taught them to dig!

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 3:23 pm Post subject:

Shan wrote:

sgt.colon wrote:

Thanks NMG and Shan.

That's very sad. Is that a fault with the breed or because of how they are reared?

It's the first time we've tried them and I've been feeling my way a bit. I understand that when they're done very intensively they take them to eight weeks and that's that. These definitely weren't ready to be worth doing at eight weeks but between 9 and 11 they have exploded in size. They've been fed on standard grower's pellets and a bit of corn thrown down in the evening. They don't move around much amd are really, realky dopey. The meat is okay, but not as flavourful as the traditional breeds. It's food though, I know where it's come from, I know it's been treated well; and it's been a learning experience.

Shan

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 9075
Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Jul 20, 17 3:38 pm Post subject:
Everything is a compromise - regardless of being Ross Cobbs, they are bound to taste a damn sight better than a supermarket reared chicken.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Fri Jul 21, 17 11:00 pm Post subject:

There seem to be some variations on the general theme around. I was looking at Piggotts Poultry in Hertfordshire. They have a few different meat strains bred for free range fast rearing, which I think would be worth a go. The only reasons I haven't tried them is I don't have the capacity to take 50 in one go just at the moment. They do deliver, but I know where they are, so I'll probably go and fetch them, when I figure out housing. I think I could only take them if I've no other young birds.

I think Judith tried Sassos and found them a bit tough. I've got Dorkings, croads, light Sussex, Ixworth, Poulet de Bresse and Faverolles here at the moment. I thought next year I'd keep a hen from each, and the dopiest cockerel and try all the crosses to see which gave the best roasters, but compare with some commercial meat birds at the beginning of the season, before I hatch. I'll only be able to do it at the end of the season, now. I'd need to get the birds in september. And dispatch November, and I think that's too late.

How long did your cobbs need heat for? Did they feather any faster, or just grow bigger, faster.

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