17lb cornish X for thanksgiving dinner

[arthaey_hubby]

hello all, I wanted to share the chicken we roasted for thanksgiving this year!

we raised cornish x under a broody this summer and she taught them to forage, run around etc just like normal chickens... anyway we were able to keep one healthy to 23 lbs at 20 weeks! he processed out at 17lbs and we roasted him up for thanksgiving. He was the size of a turkey but quite a bit fattier and I found the meat to be very good - lots of chicken flavor. He was tenderer than most turkey i've eaten too, and meatier - look at the size of those leg quarters! All in all he made a great meal, and we'll be raising more broilers under our broody next spring for sure!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Wow! Coukd he walk at all near the end?

 

[arthaey_hubby]

Wow! Coukd he walk at all near the end?

yes! he was definitely not as active as our dual-purpose birds, but he was out walking and scratching with the flock up until the day before processing. we only offered food 12 hrs during the day and believe that had a big effect on keeping him healthy.

here's a short video from about 17 weeks of him going for some corn:

https://imgur.com/QiVwf3C

 

[3KillerBs]

My what a bird!

 

[Xouie]

He was amazing! Thanks for sharing his life photos.

 

[Ruthster55]

Good Job!!
You
raised him the right way!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

WOW!!! Mine (also a free ranger, restricted diet) was 13.8# live weight at almost 30 weeks. We had his legs tonight, brined, smoked, braised like dragon legs at the Medieval Faire. 23# at just 20 weeks is incredible!

 

[Timmy59]

Color me impressed.. Thank you for posting too, this lets a person know what they can do..

 

[peeper89]

that big chicken!

 

[Pollito Pelon]

Awesome