Recent content by Koyote

  1. K

    Buthering

    I've only done 1 batch of 9 1/2 week old Cornish Crosses. The other batches have been red rangers, barred rocks, Bresse (x2) and other random breeds anywhere from 12 to 18 weeks old. I haven't noticed any stringy or toughness. Does keeping them in a fridge for a while make them more tender? How...
  2. K

    Buthering

    I've never "rested" my chickens in a refrigerator (never had enough room for all the birds). It hasn't been a problem as far as I can tell.
  3. K

    First butcher date set

    Some people prefer to use pruning shears/loppers to decapitate poultry instead of a knife. I've never tried it myself, but it might be worth looking into.
  4. K

    Cornish Cross vs Chicken Meat

    I brew beer too, so I used the same grain mill I use for brewing. Don't think you're supposed to use it for milling feed, but it seems to work. Tractor Supply has a hammer mill that's supposed to be pretty good.
  5. K

    First butcher date set

    I've only processed a few batches, so not an expert by any means. Having a couple of different sizes cones helps; not all of mine fit in the same cone. Also, I like to keep my hands on their feet/over the top of the cone for a bit. Keeps them from accidentally flopping out of the cone and making...
  6. K

    Cornish Cross vs Chicken Meat

    My fiancee also has wheat, soy and shell fish allergies. You can buy designer feed without those ingredients, but it's pretty expensive and kind of hard to find. If you search around there are some decent feed recipes. Most are Milo, rolled oats, alfalfa and sunflower seed based with some extra...
  7. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    Thanks My Bresse dressed out at about 3 lbs at 14 weeks.They seemed kind of small to me. Not flighty and seemed pretty healthy, just smaller than I'd like. How much did yours dress out at and where did you get them from?
  8. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    I had some French Bresse (aka Blue Foot or American Bresse). They were nice chickens; beautiful white feathers, free ranged in the yard and acted like normal chickens....not at all like Cornish Crosses. I didn't notice any difference in taste, but the texture was totally different. Firm, but not...
  9. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    S.A.W. I've only done small batches of birds, not more than 10 at a time. We just skinned them and didn't worry about the feathers. Is it worth the money for tub plucker or do you do it by hand?
  10. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    I've seen the naked necks before, but never had any myself. What's the advantage of using them for meat birds?
  11. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    Not sure about the dual purpose vs heritage, but all of mine have been much better than the mushy store bought chicken. The bresse had the best texture so far, but I wish they were bigger and not as expensive. A bresse-Jersey Giant might be in my future.
  12. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    Have you processed any of the Jersey Giants before? Wondering how the meat is in terms of size, texture, flavor, etc. I was thinking about getting some in the spring, but would rather know from someone who has already been there/done that.
  13. K

    In search of the best meat chickens

    I've only been doing meat birds for a year, so I don't have a huge amount of experience. Tried Cornish x and was not happy with them. The meat was ok, but they looked scruffy and were lazy...maybe just a bad batch from TSC? I had a batch of French Bresse (blue foot) that turned out well. The...
See more
Back
Top Bottom