Ameraucanas as meat birds?

[grizz78]

Are Ameraucanas decent meat birds? I have a bunch in the incubator and may not keep them all for layers. How are they as layers?

 

[klf73]

I have never eaten them, so I can't answer that......although mine started laying very late (7+ months) they lay a decent size and almost every day....

 

[brandywine]

I have only hens.

They vary considerably in size. The big ones seem plenty meaty, the small one notsomuch.

They are fantastic layers. An egg from each almost every day.

 

[newfromMN]

I don't know about a meat bird but mine also lay every day. Has anyone ever seen one with a rose comb? I have a banty EE with one....

 

[Big George]

Great layers; terrible meat birds. I offed my beloved Fancy Boy for too much crowing only to find him to be ALL feathers. He went into a stock pot, then made about one and a half cups of stringy chicken salad. Boy he was a beauty. Still have the hen. She is one of my best layers. I've since bred her with a barred rock and got a pretty hen who lays green eggs also.

 

[willheveland]

Mine took awhile to lay,but now are pretty good layers.One lays the super jumbo sized eggs.
Never eat one,but heard they are a little gamey.Someone who likes pheasant may like them. Will

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I've butchered a couple and for their size they make scrawny meat birds. They look bigger than they actually are. I do like the hens green eggs though.

 

[Southern Gardener]

We butchered a rooster a couple of months ago - it was scrawny and the dark meat was tough as shoe leather, but the breast meat was tasty. Wouldn't recommend them for meat.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Mine appear to be late layers too. I've threatened them with freezer camp, but I think they know better and just laugh behind my back.

 

[Bossroo]

I had very similar success trying to make an egg producing chicken breed into a meat bird as I had making a sow's ear into a silk purse. I did manage to make a pretty good chicken soup and great headcheese thaugh.