What is Broiler Breed?
A broiler is any chicken that is bred and raised specifically for meat production. Most commercial broilers reach slaughter weight between four and six weeks of age, although slower-growing breeds reach slaughter weight at approximately 14 weeks of age. Typical broilers have white feathers and yellowish skin.
Best Broiler Breed In South Africa
Cornish Cross Chickens
Cornish Cross birds are the most well-known of the broiler breeds. Chicken sold in the grocery store most often comes from Cornish Crosses. This breed is a hybrid of the Cornish x White Plymouth Rock breeds. They are poor layers that are bred specifically for meat purposes. Cornish Cross broilers grow very quickly and can be harvested between 8-10 weeks of age.
Cornish chickens are not recommended for breeding because they would be too large by the time they reach sexual maturity. This means that you will need to purchase new chicks each year, and often their eggs are infertile.
These meat chickens are a good choice if you are looking for profitability because they can be harvested at 8-10 weeks of age, and they produce a large amount of meat per bird.
These commercial meat birds are often affected by multiple health issues due to their large size and abnormally rapid growth. However, if raised in a pasture-ranged setting, this can help their overall health.
If you choose to raise the Cornish Cross, it is best to raise them on pasture with an enclosure. They don’t do well as free-range chickens because they cannot move quickly enough to evade predators, and if they are confined they will require much more feed to be productive.
Age at Maturity: 8-10 weeks
Avg. Mature Weight: 9-12 lbs (with about a 5-10 lb processed weight)
Pros:
- Fast growth rate
- Heavy meat production
- Profitable
- Good disposition
Cons:
- Health problems (like heart problems and leg issues)
- Not recommended for reproduction
- Require a lot of feed
- Not sustainable for the long term
Big Red Broilers
McMurray Hatchery’s Big Red Broilers are a hybrid meat chicken breed that is an updated version of the Red Rangers. They are a great alternative to Cornish Cross chickens.
These birds are great on pasture and they are good foragers. This means that they will require less feed.
Red Broilers do lay brown eggs, but they aren’t known to go broody and they are not recommended for reproduction as most eggs are infertile.
Age at Maturity: 12 weeks
Avg. Mature Weight: 7-10 lbs (with about a 3-8 lb processed weight, depending on the bird’s gender)
Pros:
- Good foragers
- Fast Growth
- Lots of meat without the health issues
- Good taste
Cons:
- Not recommended for reproduction
- Take a couple of weeks longer than CornishX
- They have inconsistent growth rates—hens are much smaller than roosters at processing time
Bresse
Traditional Bresse birds are raised in the Bresse region of France, but there is an American Bresse breed that you can purchase from US hatcheries. This heritage breed of birds has a large red single comb and blue legs. They lay about 4-5 eggs per week.
Age at Maturity: 16 weeks
Avg. Mature Weight: 5-7 lbs (with about a 3-6 lb processed weight)
Pros:
- Tasty, Marbled Meat
- Great Temperament
- Active Forager
Cons:
- The slower rate of growth
- Special diet for traditional French Bresse flavor
- Not common in the US
Turken
Turkeys are also known as Naked Neck chickens. Contrary to popular belief, this breed is not a cross between turkeys and chickens as that is an impossible pairing scientifically. Turkeys are simply a breed of chicken that lacks feathers on the neck and bottom.
These meat chickens do well in cold climates despite their lack of feathers. You will, however, need to keep a check on the large single comb when the temps drop below freezing as the comb is susceptible to frostbite.
Age at Maturity: 20 weeks
Avg. Mature Weight: 6-8 lbs
Pros:
- Cold weather tolerant
- Good egg layers
- Dual Purpose Chicken
- Fewer feathers to pluck in processing
- Good foragers
- Docile
Which broiler is the best in South Africa?
The ROSS 308 Broiler Breed of Chicken, the world’s number one breed of chicken, was purely bred as a white hybrid, fast-growing chicken, rearing for meat and growing to good weights form from day 1 to 43-45 days, achieving weight from 1.5kg to 2.5kg hatched by the ICBH GROUP in Bela-Bela, Limpopo, South Africa.
What are the best chickens for meat in South Africa?
Dual-purpose chicken breeds are suited for both egg and meat production. Many breeds fall into this category, including Black Australorps, New Hampshire’s, and White Leghorns.
What type of boiler is best?
But the best broiler breed will depend on what the farmer wants and needs. Some people may want Cobb 500 because it has low feed costs, while others may want Ross 308 because it is easy to care for. Overall, Cobb 500 was a little better than Ross 308 in terms of quality and performance.