What type of meat birds for self sufficiency.

[BeachyFarmChx]

Is that so horrible? I think lots of people are looking to have more input into HOW their food is raised, without giving up vacations, tons of money, and doing hours of farm chores a day. This gets more off topic from OP, so I will keep it short. We free range (tractors are just used to coop at night), we have a 300 year old family connection to our local organic feed mill (amazing rations!), and we raised 200 **** happy chickens this summer. AND took several vacations. I call that a win win.  
I am a huge advocate for more small poultry farms.  Hundreds of thousands more! My family has farmed in America for 7+ generations, I have no clue how many before that in Europe. So many family farms around us are lost to debt to the big "name brand" chicken companies.  We need to take back our food, our farms, and our interest in how it is all produced. More people should start with just a couple bucks and a couple chicks and not feel like it's all or nothing (i.e.: you don't have to raise your own corn and breed your own birds to do an amazing thing.) 
Yes, it is not true self sufficiency if you are preparing for the apocalypse and need food security. 
I think it is awesome how many people in this forum breed and keep records and improve lines over time! Y'all are doing a great thing, I hope you don't think my posts have put down what you do at all! So maybe, don't call me an outdoor feedlot   although I probably am, my feedlot chickens are way better/healthier/happier than what comes from the grocery store!

Nope, not so horrible at all.
Well stated!

For our family, I'm trying to write down our successes & failures as we get the hang of this thing. On my (& my husband's side of family, too!) we missed a generation. Both of our grandparents were earthy & self sufficient & grew lots of their own foods. Our parents, however, did not, and so we are grasping to regain these lost skills. Being a part of the movement of resurgent younger farmers takes a lot of learning.

 

[centrarchid]

It's a shame how much drama is perpetuated on several of these threads instead of encouragement. Sad. It's not a competition, but a learning experience for everyone...even those who believe they know all of the answers. Because none of us do.

I have 20 birds. It's rather modest, but it's what we can handle at the moment. I appreciated @eviemethugh words because it spoke to average beginners or laymen. We have been raising chx for 3.5 years. It's included several killed, neighborhood reporting (and having to stop a while), many things. We would have probably had 40-55 birds this autumn, but lost a lot in spring due to mistakes.
Our current desire is to fill our freezer, quarterly through the year. We are keeping our layers, but doing a constant "add to flock & grow more" to try & replace the birds we plan to cull. I'm on here to learn from some very knowledgeable people, but it's very discouraging when I'm afraid to ask a question or make a post due to condescending folks. Let's be adults. If there's nothing you have to add that can help, can you please not add?

My current question is about dual breeds. I own a few. I read that the meat is stringy if they are allowed to lay a while and then they are culled. What feedback can you folks give on that?

Older birds, regardless of breed, can be tenderized by canning or making into soup.


Adding to drama.

 

[KoopOnTruckin]

It's a shame how much drama is perpetuated on several of these threads instead of encouragement. Sad. It's not a competition, but a learning experience for everyone...even those who believe they know all of the answers. Because none of us do.

I have 20 birds. It's rather modest, but it's what we can handle at the moment. I appreciated @eviemethugh words because it spoke to average beginners or laymen. We have been raising chx for 3.5 years. It's included several killed, neighborhood reporting (and having to stop a while), many things. We would have probably had 40-55 birds this autumn, but lost a lot in spring due to mistakes.
Our current desire is to fill our freezer, quarterly through the year. We are keeping our layers, but doing a constant "add to flock & grow more" to try & replace the birds we plan to cull. I'm on here to learn from some very knowledgeable people, but it's very discouraging when I'm afraid to ask a question or make a post due to condescending folks. Let's be adults. If there's nothing you have to add that can help, can you please not add?

My current question is about dual breeds. I own a few. I read that the meat is stringy if they are allowed to lay a while and then they are culled. What feedback can you folks give on that?

I agree with your concern about some folks creating a negative environment with their answers or comments. It's not necessary, but some people just don't know how to communicate. There are others too that I believe think they know so much that they aren't here to learn, but rather to teach others. I agree, that is truly a shame.

I know that my older, laying hens were pretty tough if not cooked right. They were not dual purpose birds, mostly sex links and leghorns so not a lot of meat to begin with, and definitely tough and stringy likely due to their age. But I would tend to agree with that, they should get tougher as they mature due to the extra hormones. But if cooked correctly, it doesn't matter how old they are, the meat can be tenderized. I've read a lot about brining the meat for a day before freezing, then slow cooking to ensure the cells of the meat break down to tenderize the muscle and draw out the flavor from the bones. I haven't brined any of my meat yet, I just did the slow cooking and turned them into soup, and it has always been delicious and very tender.