Most of the poultry articles say that a utililty strain of Barred Rocks are best for raising meat for home butchering. Here is an example of such an article. Keep in mind I am no expert, just a big reader! And a soon to be chicken owner come this spring.

From http://www.plamondon.com/faq_breeds.html

When in doubt, buy a utility strain of Barred Rocks. For generations, Barred Rocks were the most popular farm bird in the U.S., combining a calm disposition, attractive coloration, high production of brown eggs, and good meat qualities. (If you aren't in the U.S., the old-time production breed of your area might work better: Black Australorps if you are in Australia, Buff Orpingtons in Britain, etc.) If you don't want Barred Rocks, other birds with similar characteristics are Rock of other colors (White Rocks, Buff Rocks, etc.), Wyandottes, Buff Orpingtons, and the hybrids called Black Sex-Links. Barred Rock roosters have a reputation for viciousness, though.

Good luck and share your stories. Many of us are "a work in progress".

We're going to try our hand at this come spring.  I think we're going to build simple chicken tractors and move them around the property.  I think we will skin them instead of plucking them.  I throw them all in the crockpot anyways.

Suzanne,

After we see how our first batch does, we'd be willing to do some for you.  Don't want to offer you our first go. I'm sure it will be a learning experience for us.

We raised 50 Cornish X this year.  They are DELICIOUS!!!  A friend came over to help us, and I gave her some to take home – she didn't get to raise her own this year.

We are planning on doing two batches of 25 next year, and more turkeys.

We did keep them separated from the layers, and skinned all of them to avoid dealing with the plucking.

Good luck everyone — you won't be sorry!