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

[aart]

it’s rough, I feel like with a toddler and all of our animals I do not want to be transient extendedly and I really really don’t want to build again from the ground up.

Bummer, but good call.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Sounds like you've been hectic! Seems like you are making the right choices for you and your fam.

I’m thinking of doing another round of meat birds over the winter. Anyone raising any more or is everyone done?

I still have 16 Cornish X slated for the freezer around November 1st. I think I will try to grow one to 10-11 weeks and use it for my Friendsgiving celebration! Here they are yesterday at 4 weeks old. I think I'll go weigh some right now actually.

 

[Molpet]

I have my meat mutts. I am using a dark Cornish rooster over some of my CX mixes. Got a late start waiting for him to figure out how to get eggs Fertilized.
Still planning on my usual harvest around 16 weeks. Which will be
Nov 3rd
Thanksgiving day
February 10th I think.

They seem a little leggy right now
Last week .. Nov 3 on left, Thanksgiving next to 2 gallon bucket

 

[RUNuts]

I have my meat mutts. I am using a dark Cornish rooster over some of my CX mixes. Got a late start waiting for him to figure out how to get eggs Fertilized.
Still planning on my usual harvest around 16 weeks. Which will be
Nov 3rd
Thanksgiving day
February 10th I think.

They seem a little leggy right now
Last week .. Nov 3 on left, Thanksgiving next to 2 gallon bucket

Y'all aren't helping. Trying to decide if I need to have a winter hatching for Spring meat right now. It will be barnyard mixes for soup birds since the spring hatch only produced 2 (pullets I believe). The Broilers are still filling the freezer and we have been eating them. Delicious. Firm. Flavorful. I'm spoiled.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

I have my meat mutts. I am using a dark Cornish rooster over some of my CX mixes. Got a late start waiting for him to figure out how to get eggs Fertilized.
Still planning on my usual harvest around 16 weeks. Which will be
Nov 3rd
Thanksgiving day
February 10th I think.

They seem a little leggy right now
Last week .. Nov 3 on left, Thanksgiving next to 2 gallon bucket
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Nice! So you have dark feathered meat birds... Do you skin or pluck? I’m getting the idea that most people skin of feathers are dark...

 

[Tre3hugger]

Average weight of my Cornish x at 29 days old...2lbs9oz! I am going to start limiting feed today.

 

[jolenesdad]

Nice! So you have dark feathered meat birds... Do you skin or pluck? I’m getting the idea that most people skin of feathers are dark...

Hey MFE I don’t know if this is a dumb suggestion..... but what about duck wax???

 

[RUNuts]

Nice! So you have dark feathered meat birds... Do you skin or pluck? I’m getting the idea that most people skin of feathers are dark...

I pluck and ignore the little black specs. By the time the skin is crispy, it is all good and scrumptious. If there is someone who is sensitive, leave the skin on to cook and slice the meat for presentation with or without the skin. Gotta get that flavor.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hey MFE I don’t know if this is a dumb suggestion..... but what about duck wax???

No it’s a great suggestion! I actually have some and I tried using it last year but it didn’t seem to do much... I should probably reread and reconsider trying it again (if I can find where I stashed it!). Anyone here use wax for pin feathers? Last year, I had it floating in the water bath that I dipped the birds in, and it stuck to the large feathers but didn’t make it easier to remove them. Actually, I seem to recall having some issue getting the wax off of the skin. Maybe I need a second water bath with just wax /water to dip the birds in after plucking the easy feathers?

 

[RUNuts]

Hey MFE I don’t know if this is a dumb suggestion..... but what about duck wax???

Duck wax works on the little fluffy hairs and down. Really doesn't touch the pin feathers that are still in the sheath. Good idea though. Easier to butcher around the molt, but that is tricky on thick feathered dark birds.

I had some production black or Australorp cockerels from last year's hatch and as the hormones peaked, so did the pin feathers. Skinned the whole lot of them over a month. Tasty, but skinned. Good soup birds.