Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[FortCluck]

I still have 3 cornish that I have to do. Hopefully I can get them done this weekend or sometime during the week. Then that will be the last time I deal with any cornish... They are smelly and just abnormal to look at. The breasts on the ones I did the other day make up for most of the meat on the bird!

 

[RUNuts]

Red Ranger?

Moyer's Imperial Broiler.
More breast meat than heritage.
More foraging and moving than CX. I'm behind the growth curve, but they have the yard to roam. Still very active. Act like the layers and are in the pecking order. Not as aggressive as some of the birds I've raised.
This boy is starting to waddle, but nothing compared to the CX. And he's getting friendly with the ladies.

There is still a spread. With 24 pullets left, I can tell the difference in sizes. All of them are as large as the layers. I was hoping to get most of them butchered this weekend, but I'll be happy to do another 10. Spreading this out way too long.

 

[jolenesdad]

Moyer's Imperial Broiler.
More breast meat than heritage.
More foraging and moving than CX. I'm behind the growth curve, but they have the yard to roam. Still very active. Act like the layers and are in the pecking order. Not as aggressive as some of the birds I've raised.
This boy is starting to waddle, but nothing compared to the CX. And he's getting friendly with the ladies.

There is still a spread. With 24 pullets left, I can tell the difference in sizes. All of them are as large as the layers. I was hoping to get most of them butchered this weekend, but I'll be happy to do another 10. Spreading this out way too long.

He is going to be delicious.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

Moyer's Imperial Broiler.
More breast meat than heritage.
More foraging and moving than CX. I'm behind the growth curve, but they have the yard to roam. Still very active. Act like the layers and are in the pecking order. Not as aggressive as some of the birds I've raised.
This boy is starting to waddle, but nothing compared to the CX. And he's getting friendly with the ladies.

There is still a spread. With 24 pullets left, I can tell the difference in sizes. All of them are as large as the layers. I was hoping to get most of them butchered this weekend, but I'll be happy to do another 10. Spreading this out way too long.

Oh, right, I forgot you were doing the Imperials. Sorry. He does look good for his age.
Also forgot...do you plan to keep any of the Imperials to try to get some genes out of?

 

[RUNuts]

Oh, right, I forgot you were doing the Imperials. Sorry. He does look good for his age.
Also forgot...do you plan to keep any of the Imperials to try to get some genes out of?

I would love to. Alas, I am in a no crow zone. No cockerels for the girls. I'm breeding quail and playing with those. They sound like song birds and unless one is protesting solitary confinement for unsocial behavior, the quail are pretty chill.

I want to move to a rooster zone, but Crazy Lady is comfortable in suburbia. I'm pushing my luck raising meat birds. Little did I know that I'd develop this habit.

Original plan was to eat quail this year. Fate had another plan. Thanks Fate!

For my next trick, I will stuff a quail into a chicken and rotisserie. Stay tuned!

Speaking of which, I had to buy basil and it is growing wonderfully! Take a couple of fresh basil leaves and shove under the skin on the breasts. Good stuff, Maynard!

 

[FortCluck]

I would love to. Alas, I am in a no crow zone. No cockerels for the girls. I'm breeding quail and playing with those. They sound like song birds and unless one is protesting solitary confinement for unsocial behavior, the quail are pretty chill.

I want to move to a rooster zone, but Crazy Lady is comfortable in suburbia. I'm pushing my luck raising meat birds. Little did I know that I'd develop this habit.

Original plan was to eat quail this year. Fate had another plan. Thanks Fate!

For my next trick, I will stuff a quail into a chicken and rotisserie. Stay tuned!

Speaking of which, I had to buy basil and it is growing wonderfully! Take a couple of fresh basil leaves and shove under the skin on the breasts. Good stuff, Maynard!

Quail are my fave now! Glad you guys pushed me towards them.

 

[Parront]

I would love to. Alas, I am in a no crow zone. No cockerels for the girls. I'm breeding quail and playing with those. They sound like song birds and unless one is protesting solitary confinement for unsocial behavior, the quail are pretty chill.

I want to move to a rooster zone, but Crazy Lady is comfortable in suburbia. I'm pushing my luck raising meat birds. Little did I know that I'd develop this habit.

Original plan was to eat quail this year. Fate had another plan. Thanks Fate!

For my next trick, I will stuff a quail into a chicken and rotisserie. Stay tuned!

Speaking of which, I had to buy basil and it is growing wonderfully! Take a couple of fresh basil leaves and shove under the skin on the breasts. Good stuff, Maynard!

I have a mixed batch of ducks ordered for September 8, they do not crow and I love duck. I sure do want to try one of those big nice Imperials next spring. My husband already thinks I am a Crazy Lady. He does not want to see how chicken becomes breast meat on the BBQ. One step at a time. He is already charting the temp in the brooder and alerting me if it is too high!

 

[Parront]

Moyer's Imperial Broiler.
More breast meat than heritage.
More foraging and moving than CX. I'm behind the growth curve, but they have the yard to roam. Still very active. Act like the layers and are in the pecking order. Not as aggressive as some of the birds I've raised.
This boy is starting to waddle, but nothing compared to the CX. And he's getting friendly with the ladies.

There is still a spread. With 24 pullets left, I can tell the difference in sizes. All of them are as large as the layers. I was hoping to get most of them butchered this weekend, but I'll be happy to do another 10. Spreading this out way too long.

He is a good looking bird.

 

[RUNuts]

I have a mixed batch of ducks ordered for September 8, they do not crow and I love duck. I sure do want to try one of those big nice Imperials next spring. My husband already thinks I am a Crazy Lady. He does not want to see how chicken becomes breast meat on the BBQ. One step at a time. He is already charting the temp in the brooder and alerting me if it is too high!

Funny should say that. I really, really like wild duck. I started with backyard chicken for several reasons, the taste of wild duck is one. Backyard chickens are better than store. Quail is closer. Domestic duck is the next step.

I adopted a stray Rouen and she was loud. Never stopped quacking. Because family, she went to be a little girl's pet with the rest of a flock. I am still figuring a few meat ducks trial in the future. I'd rather start hunting again, BUT...

 

[Parront]

Funny should say that. I really, really like wild duck. I started with backyard chicken for several reasons, the taste of wild duck is one. Backyard chickens are better than store. Quail is closer. Domestic duck is the next step.

I adopted a stray Rouen and she was loud. Never stopped quacking. Because family, she went to be a little girl's pet with the rest of a flock. I am still figuring a few meat ducks trial in the future. I'd rather start hunting again, BUT...

I raised 15 Pekin at a time in my old place. YUM! Feathers I learned that they MUST be processed on time. Or you will be plucking pin feathers Forever. The whole point of duck for me is roasting them in their skin. Learn from my sad experience and do your ducks @ 7 weeks, 8 at the latest. If you feel the littlest pointy pin feather or see shedding feathers, be ready to forgo the delicious crispy skin, or pluck for ever.