FARM Slow White Broilers... still the best all purpose chicken

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summerthyme

Administrator
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Most here have seen my posts on Welp Hatchery's "Slow White" broiler meat chickens. I've found them to be a very reasonable alternative to CornishX birds for meat (they dress at 5# around 9 weeks old, on a carcass that's about 6" longer than the CornishX) and excellent egg layers. They also breed true.

I ran out of them for a couple of years, and started with 25 chicks from Welp in April again. I was a bit concerned for awhile... the young birds weren't quite as uniform, with a couple buff colored pullets and a couple with charcoal flecking. Still, they grew to their usual large, broad size quickly, and the extras have made excellent barbeque this summer.

I had it marked on my calendar that they'd turn 22 weeks on September 4th. Laying at 22 weeks is darned early for a "heavy" breed, but these birds have consistently been the earliest layers in a mixed pen. However, I got my first pullet egg last Sunday! Laying at 19 1/2 weeks is crazy, even for Leghorns, which are bred to be egg laying machines!

Looks like I'm going to have to start culling the older hens soon, or I'm going to be drowning in eggs... I kept 8 pullets and two roosters from the Slow Whites, and I have a group of 25, 16 week old Americauna/True Blue/Cuckoo Maran crosses coming up. Plus, an additional pen of 5 week olds from the same crosses, hatched only because our mail carrier wanted 6 pullet chicks. The eggs from these birds make gorgeous baskets... multi-hued blue, green, tan, brown and even pinkish eggs... some with rust colored speckles!

I guess I'll be making a trip to the local livestock market with a few cages of ready-to-lay pulkets (and maybe sone old hens)... chicken prices have bordered on the absurd, with laying hens bringing more than Jersey calves!

Summerthyme
 
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bbbuddy

bbbuddy

DEPLORABLE ME
Of my slow whites only one hen has a bit of black flecking, but one of my emergency backup roos has quite a bit of black. He also the biggest, as is the hen...curious about what got mixed in.

I've hatched 23 slow white chicks this summer and have 22 more eggs in the incubator. Love the slow whites!
 
Squib

Squib

Veteran Member
summerthyme said:
I guess I'll be making a trip to the local livestock market with a few cages of ready-to-lay pulkets (and maybe sone old hens)... chicken prices have bordered on the absurd, with laying hens bringing more than Jersey calves!
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Our girls started laying at abut 20-21 weeks. We’re sharing eggs with others and coating some in mineral oil to keep for thr winter egg slow down.

Are you serious about a Jersey Calf costing less that a laying hen? Weaned, or bum?
 
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WalknTrot

Veteran Member
Good to hear they turned out with the tried and true characteristics. I don't have any Slow Whites left, except for a few hybrids, so will need to re-assess in the spring.

I've been letting the flock of old layers loose during the day in the barnyard, figuring it saves on feed, and if a fox gets a few of them ...no real loss. Haha! NO such luck. Don't know what happened to the predators this summer, but even the hawks have laid off. So, now, when I integrate the new pullets into the layer flock in a few weeks, (Cuckoo Maran and Ameraucanas) I'm going to have to cull some of the old ones myself.
 
Freeholder

Freeholder

This too shall pass.
My whole flock is loose in the yard -- I still feed them, but not a lot, and they look fine. No losses -- the livestock guardian dog does a good job.

I'm really going to have to get some Slow Whites. I was going to get some this spring, but they've moved our post office a couple of times (due to structural issues in the original building) and I'm not sure where it is. Didn't want to get a call to come get my chicks and not be able to find the new post office! I've looked for it a couple of times and couldn't find it.

Kathleen
 
JMG91

JMG91

Veteran Member
I'm glad that you posted this. I'd seriously like to get some meat birds before the election. Who know what kind of craziness will be going on; I predict more food shortages like last time, as we're already starting to see the beginnings of it. I may look into these. I just don't have a spot to put them right now; my other coop is full up, and I want the meat birds separated from the rest anyway, as I'll still be convincing myself to cull the birds--such has been my biggest reason not to get them. What can I say? I'm a bird lover.
 
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moldy

Veteran Member
Bumping this thread. With the renewed threat of bird flu, you might want to get your ducks - or chickens - in order. @summerthyme - do you still feel the same way about the slow whites? We want to get meat birds that breed true - and I'd prefer to keep them all of the same breed if possible.
 
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moldy

Veteran Member
DH is pushing to get some we can breed and get them delivered yesterday. I ended up ordering about 30 straight run white Plymouth rocks from Strombergs. Even if there is only 5 hens in the batch, that's enough to get a flock going next year (and I'm good on chicken for a bit longer). He also wants to order turkeys - the minimum is 20 birds - sigh. I hate turkeys - maybe the heritage ones he wants will be better (the broad breasted ones are too big to breed - there's a joke in there somewhere....) But where am I going to put them...... wandering off muttering and looking for my bed....
 
bbbuddy

bbbuddy

DEPLORABLE ME
summerthyme said:
Sadly, the Slow Whites aren't available from Welp this year I'm not sure why... it's disappointing! They have some other alternatives to CornishX, but I haven't tried them.

Summerthyme
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The last time I ordered some Slow Whites I got the same thing, not all white. I hatched some of their eggs and they are even more colored and smaller by a lot.
But I have begun to think maybe the hens had a date with one of my bantam roos. I don't know...
 
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John Deere Girl

Veteran Member
moldy said:
Bumping this thread. With the renewed threat of bird flu, you might want to get your ducks - or chickens - in order. @summerthyme - do you still feel the same way about the slow whites? We want to get meat birds that breed true - and I'd prefer to keep them all of the same breed if possible.
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I ordered American bresse chicks to try. You might want to check them out. Supposedly, they are good layers and go broody as well as fast growing.

Murray McMurray only requires 15 turkeys for an order.
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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My second choice next to the Slow Whites are Cuckoo Marans. They grow quickly, are big and meaty, and the coloring is enough different by around 10 days old (cockerels are much lighter colored than pullets) that you can sex them fairly young. They lay very well, even in cold weather, although the roosters are prone to frostbitten combs. Their eggs are a dark, cinnamon brown, and the quality of egg and shell is excellent. Hubby always preferred them for his breakfast eggs, given a choice.

Unfortunately, DS only looks at egg laying ability and color of eggs... since they produce extra for sale, and feed is so expensive, I understand. But I'm sure not looking forward to having to butcher blue and green egg layers for dinner... they weight about 5# fully grown!

Summerthyme
 
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WalknTrot

Veteran Member
Agree about the Cuckoo Marans. Especially the young cockerels get to be a good size for butchering before they get too tough. Fast growing and good layers. They aren't troublemakers in the coop either. Get along with everybody. Last few years I've been keeping a combo of Cuckoo Marans with some Ameraucanas mixed in for color.

The ability to cull the cockerel chicks a couple days after hatching is handy too, if you don't want to raise them for ~12 weeks for meat.
 
JMG91

JMG91

Veteran Member
I just got myself some chocolate orpingtons to hopefully replace my slow white rooster. I still have all my hens, but my roo developed bumblefoot so badly that he can’t use his legs well anymore—no more nookie for him, poor guy. I’m hoping to get a rooster out of the Orpingtons I purchased to breed to my slow white girls. Since Orpingtons are considered good for meat as well as eggs, I think I might be able to still get a decent-sized bird out of the pairing. If that doesn’t work, my sister-in-law says she tried and really liked her Rudd Rangers.

I’m trying not to order from big hatcheries anymore—and just purchase from private individuals—since we no longer know what’s being put into the bird’s vaccinations.
 
tnphil

tnphil

Don't screw with an engineer
Cardinal said:
I will be getting some buff orpingtons, and hope one will be a roo.
I lost my big roo to the %%$##@!! pest control co a couple years back.
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My wife is jonesing for chickens. That would take some work, would need a "dog run" type fence inside our yard fence, plus a coop. Might need a moveable coop. Gotta keep out hawks, coyotes, foxes and occasional bobcat.
She wants buff Orringtons for both meat and eggs.
 
Cardinal

Cardinal

Chickministrator
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tnphil said:
My wife is jonesing for chickens. That would take some work, would need a "dog run" type fence inside our yard fence, plus a coop. Might need a moveable coop. Gotta keep out hawks, coyotes, foxes and occasional bobcat.
She wants buff Orringtons for both meat and eggs.
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I used a dog kennel, and increased the size with some cheap field fencing.
I am using dog houses that I can lock at night for coops.
Not only are orpingtons good for meat and eggs, but they are a gentle breed as well.
My Buff Roo was the size of a turkey, and never attacked or got aggressive with me.
 
JMG91

JMG91

Veteran Member
WalknTrot said:
Far as I've ever heard, the hatcheries only vaccinate if you pay for it and request it. Personally, with bird flu threatening a comeback this spring, I'd trust a hatchery over a private flock. YMMV. :shr:
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The hatcheries may not vaccinate their chicks, but I’m sure they vaccinate their adult birds. As long as the person raising them keeps them well, I’m not concerned about illness.
 
Marie

Marie

Veteran Member
summerthyme said:
My second choice next to the Slow Whites are Cuckoo Marans. They grow quickly, are big and meaty, and the coloring is enough different by around 10 days old (cockerels are much lighter colored than pullets) that you can sex them fairly young. They lay very well, even in cold weather, although the roosters are prone to frostbitten combs. Their eggs are a dark, cinnamon brown, and the quality of egg and shell is excellent. Hubby always preferred them for his breakfast eggs, given a choice.

Unfortunately, DS only looks at egg laying ability and color of eggs... since they produce extra for sale, and feed is so expensive, I understand. But I'm sure not looking forward to having to butcher blue and green egg layers for dinner... they weight about 5# fully grown!

Summerthyme
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What are slow whites? We went with some white ones last time can't remember exactly what breed, something i never heard of before. Isa meat birds(?) From some local hatchery. Granted i always get red rangers so I'm out of the loop. But I'm going back to the red rangers this year. The white ones didn't move a stitch and tough as shoe leather. And stupid enough I had to push them in and out of the coop door every day.
 
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WalknTrot

Veteran Member
Marie said:
What are slow whites? We went with some white ones last time can't remember exactly what breed, something i never heard of before. Isa meat birds(?) From some local hatchery. Granted i always get red rangers so I'm out of the loop. But I'm going back to the red rangers this year. The white ones didn't move a stitch and tough as shoe leather. And stupid enough I had to push them in and out of the coop door every day.
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Slow White Broilers used to be an exclusive from Welp Hatchery in Iowa. They were a lot more active than regular CornishX broilers, hens were screaming fast early, good to excellent layers, and the roosters didn't have the huge double breast, so they could breed the hens. They bred fairly true, with subsequent generations much like the parents. Still fast growing, though not as fast as CornishX, and like I said, not double-breasted, so more dark meat to light. Got plenty big by 10-11 weeks - I used to get 9 lb. dressed birds easy.

Unfortunately, Welp isn't selling them this year.
 
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summerthyme

Administrator
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The Slow Whites were a proprietary breed from Welp Hatchery. I wasn't ever able to find out what lineage they used, but they bred true for multiple generations and were clearly not a hybrid. I'm hoping they may bring them back at some point, but I'm afraid I'll have to start experimenting to find a new dual purpose, non-hybrid breed.

BTW, Welp has by far the best price on CornishX chicks, especially if you want 100 or more. I've grown hundreds over the past 15 years (actually, closer to 2000), and they've always been healthy, active and do very well on pasture. One year, I ordered 100 chicks, they sent 108, and we butchered 108 in 7 weeks... not a single death loss!

However, if you do have problems (one batch had a rough trip and showed up 3 days late... they were crawling into the waterers and getting chilled and dying within an hour of when we unpacked them. It was awful! We lost 18 out of 50), they make good with either a reship, or refund, no questions asked.

Summerthyme
 
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