Ameraucanas as meat birds?

[pips&peeps]

They are supposed to be a dual purpose breed, but I don't recommend it.

If you want to stew them, they are good for that. They are so active that they don't put on alot of weight as young birds.

I find that they usually are not fully developed until right around a year of age, and by then they are tough as shoe leather......

 

[diggerthechickenman]

i agree , i have tried on 2 different occasions , and both times tough as shoe leather.

 

[Fowl_Odor002]

Mmmmm..... shoe leather....

 

[wsmoak]

Quote:
LOL, that's what I just said about the Easter Eggers we processed last weekend. Way too many feathers, and not much bird underneath! One 17 week old rooster turned into one pot of chicken soup (about four bowls).

These were the first random extra roosters we processed ourselves, so right now it's a novelty, but that will wear off fast and I'll want more food in return for all that work.

-Wendy

 

[Illia]

I think some people here are confusing Ameraucanas with Easter Eggers

True Ameraucanas make better meat birds than any hatchery-based Barred Rock, RIR, Australorp, etc. BUT they aren't the best dual purpose bird out there, no. Even Araucanas are better than them.

Easter Eggers - Really depends

I've had an EE rooster from Murray McMurray that though he was average small size, he was quite a chunk of meat! The hens though were average skinny birds.

Now, "homemade" EE's vary. I have some right now that are passing 7 lbs at just 6 months old, so I'm happy with that.