Anna and I have debated many times the advantages and disadvantages of what to raise for a meat chicken. In the end, our primary concern is that we are raising a healthy chicken for our family to eat. We are offering some extra birds for sale, but based on the time committment to process the chickens (and raise them) we do not anticipate raising hundreds of chickens at a time. So, despite some previous discussions and plans, we have decided to order Freedom Rangers. One significant advantage of this bird is we can keep some for our own breeding stock if we want. The first batch of chickens will get processed in late June or early July.
Sounds like a great choice. We totally agree about buying something more naturally healthy like the Freedom Ranger. Sounds very similar to the Italian Reds that we’re getting in May — but yours will be French! We’ll have to compare tasting notes later this summer!
I think comparing notes on the two breeds is a great plan. We are close enough that variables like weather don’t factor into the final result. I got an email back that our birds will be shipped on April 18. We might start a second group in late May.