22 week BJG and Red Dorking - Comparison

[Ridgerunner]

When butchered, the testicles of the Dorking were quite a bit larger than the BJG, also indicating that the BJG was not yet mature.

I've noticed that a lot, cockerels of the same breed hatched the same day can be greatly different in maturity. You can often get a pretty good idea of testicle size from their body size and how they are acting. That's a big part of why I say that even the same breed can have greatly different maturity at the same age.

Like everyone else I'll be interested in your comparison. Not just taste but how much meat you actually get. I'd expect the JG to be quite bony, but that doesn't necessarily men less overall meat. I'l be glad to see the comparison.

 

[Acre4Me]

My BJG crowed at 12 weeks. Squatch grew very fast and was up to my knees around 20 weeks. His brother was bigger, but I didn't even want roosters to begin with. The joys of getting chickens that are vent sexed wrong

These two BJG have surprised me for their size at 22 weeks. But, they are generally a slow growing breed so their delay in getting to sexual maturity isn't surprising me and follows the maturity rate of our older BJG. These 22 week old birds were broody momma raised, so they don't stick around when we come near, so I haven't gotten a chance to really get an idea of their height, but they do have really long legs! Whereas the Dorking have particularly short legs (as they are supposed to have).

 

[FortCluck]

These two BJG have surprised me for their size at 22 weeks. But, they are generally a slow growing breed so their delay in getting to sexual maturity isn't surprising me and follows the maturity rate of our older BJG. These 22 week old birds were broody momma raised, so they don't stick around when we come near, so I haven't gotten a chance to really get an idea of their height, but they do have really long legs! Whereas the Dorking have particularly short legs (as they are supposed to have).

BJG are more legs than anything else. I know mine is very tall. I don't pet him, but he comes close enough that I could. I just know messing with him can cause a war he kicked me before and left a massive bruise. I corrected him and since then he has been very peaceful. I want to keep it that way!

 

[CindyinSD]

My BJG crowed at 12 weeks. Squatch grew very fast and was up to my knees around 20 weeks. His brother was bigger, but I didn't even want roosters to begin with. The joys of getting chickens that are vent sexed wrong

Where did you get the BJGs from? It sounds like you got good ‘uns even though of the wrong sex.

 

[CindyinSD]

Yes, that is the current plan. However, it is going to be fairly warm and nice the next several days, so we might do a wood fire in the fire pit and use the grill plate over the fire (well, really hot coals) - so yummy! But, also don't want to dry out the birds - would rather they be moist and the oven would at least be a more steady/constant temp.

If you brine them, that’ll help with moisture. I’ve gotten to where I just don’t roast one or cook by any dry method without brining.

 

[FortCluck]

Where did you get the BJGs from? It sounds like you got good ‘uns even though of the wrong sex.

From a local farm

 

[123RedBeard]

While we are all told that the JG's grow lots of bone first, then slowly put on meat ... and don't mature till two years old ...

It would be interesting to see on these two sample the percentage of meat to bone ... do you have a way keep the bones separate after cooking? while it won't be exact, as moisture and fat can be lost due to cooking ...

I see the JG had a smaller percentage of guts ... but still more than the 25%-33%, I'm guessing that your weights don't include necks, and organs? Which would raise the number up some ...

 

[Acre4Me]

While we are all told that the JG's grow lots of bone first, then slowly put on meat ... and don't mature till two years old ...

It would be interesting to see on these two sample the percentage of meat to bone ... do you have a way keep the bones separate after cooking? while it won't be exact, as moisture and fat can be lost due to cooking ...

I see the JG had a smaller percentage of guts ... but still more than the 25%-33%, I'm guessing that your weights don't include necks, and organs? Which would raise the number up some ...

yes, you are right: the processed weight is just what you see in pic. No neck, no organs, not even wing tips. However, the kid that helped butcher said “the BJG had waaaay more guts than the RD”. Also, the BJG legs (the part we cut off) are thicker , bigger, and much longer than any other chicken, but certainly more so than Dorkings, which already have short legs.

 

[123RedBeard]

While the JG may of had more guts end up in the bucket than the RD ... percentage wize ... the RD lost almost half its live weight ... to the finished dressed carcass.

 

[aart]

Curious, why no scalding...must have been a tough pluck?