We’ve tried Freedom Rangers, and they take a few weeks longer to mature than other meat birds, aren’t as physically awkward, tend to be healthier and make better use of pasture for eating, which we have plenty of. Burt I was warned that “freedom” translated to “active” so we did experience more agility than the Cornish Rocks and honestly missed their incredibly large yield!
Cornish X Rock birds tend to be the standard. Meat birds grow MUCH faster than laying hens, reaching butchering size in about 8 weeks. The ‘rocks’ were cute for about 5 days, but then quickly outgrew their fuzziness and lumbered around the rest of their short lives awaiting a meal, growing back feathers just in time for the end.
Holding one was like holding a chicken parm sandwich — without a roll. They are bred to be so heavy breasted, they can develop problems with their legs sustaining their weight, so you have be careful not to overfeed them. They even come with a high altitude warning … seriously.
Dirigo Farm 