Regrouping after predator wipe-out...

[carcar80]

Yeah I guess. I just think of the RIR that we froze due to being mean. There was NOTHING on him. But maybe he was younger. :/

 

[aart]

Well, that's where you guys come in..

Not sure what you do about that.. Are SLs really any good for eating?

I wouldn't see why not! They are just going to take longer to reach full size than meat hybrids. I would say 18+ weeks versus 10+ weeks. I have butchered and eaten several duel purpose and looking at my female SL I would say there is plenty of meat to be had!

Agrees....just not as much meat on them as a meat bird. Make sure you let the carcass rest in the fridge for a few days after butchering, before cooking or freezing. Cook low and slow and moist.

 

[carcar80]

You know what? Maybe I could just get another SLW roo and a hen or two, and if I wanna hatch something and try to sell a few I can just do straight run that way. Plus I see on McMurray they are rated as better for meat than eggs anyway?

I just don't really want a bunch of unwanted Roos left over, seems like it's be easier to just not know.

 

[carcar80]

Cheese & crackers.. Can anyone tell I STINK at decision-making? LOLLL there's just too much to choose from!!

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Yeah I guess. I just think of the RIR that we froze due to being mean. There was NOTHING on him. But maybe he was younger.

My hatchery RIR's were a TOTAL disappointment in every way

! Gangling, flighty, aggressive, and highly over-sexed....they could have redeemed themselves with some meat, and they what little they had was tough

. I would love to find a good local heritage breeder of RIR and give the breed another shot, but until then no RIR roos in my flock.

 

[carcar80]

OMG Tara I totally agree! The roo we had was terrible and Rhoda, unfortunate as she was with getting her bum chewed up & all, was never the same as my others. She was just so compact & scraggly-looking. She didn't outshine anyone else for sure.

 

[carcar80]

I've been told that Heritage RIR are not (as) good layers? True? Bc that was my thought too, to get a more "true" experience..

EDIT: obviously they won't lay like "production" do, but are they "bad" layers, or is it just that they're not "prolific" layers is what I mean.

 

[carcar80]

Well. I let hubby know what I want for Christmas instead of what he wanted to get me (new diamond studs.. Who wants earrings!?!?) lol

He has semi-reluctantly agreed to getting a couple more hens and a roo and try our (my) hand at selling eggs and/or chicks. Maybe I will start with eggs and work up to chicks? Not sure yet.

Either way I have broken the news to him that he may quite possibly have the lamest wife_ever. LMBO. But simultaneously the most low-maintenance too.

I agreed to wait until the Holidays are over, and give him time to fix up the run the right way. He agreed to my promising to start very slowly an NOT end up with 75+ chickens I can't give away. I'd consider this a win, hehe.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Agrees....just not as much meat on them as a meat bird. Make sure you let the carcass rest in the fridge for a few days after butchering, before cooking or freezing. Cook low and slow and moist.

Great advice. My JG roos were big meaty and beautiful but mostly dark meat and because they were older 5 months they were tougher, but boy do they make a killer soup and broth. As much as I can say for size and taste though they were a b#*ch to clean, I just ended up removeing the skin (my favorite part) because those feathers were impossible

.

We aren't CX fans so we are trying broilers in the late spring.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Well. I let hubby know what I want for Christmas instead of what he wanted to get me (new diamond studs.. Who wants earrings!?!?)

lol

He has semi-reluctantly agreed to getting a couple more hens and a roo and try our (my) hand at selling eggs and/or chicks. Maybe I will start with eggs and work up to chicks? Not sure yet.

Either way I have broken the news to him that he may quite possibly have the lamest wife_ever. LMBO. But simultaneously the most low-maintenance too.

I agreed to wait until the Holidays are over, and give him time to fix up the run the right way. He agreed to my promising to start very slowly an NOT end up with 75+ chickens I can't give away.

I'd consider this a win, hehe.

That's great! Don't worry I am pretty lame too, wish I could find some chicken obsessed friends nearby! I think all of those around me are tired of hearing about my birds!