Another quick question involving fattening...

[elizabethbinary]

The lady who gave us our roosters yesterday gave us some really skinny ones. We think she had more roosters than she could afford to feed. Some of the ones that were big enough to kill weren't very meaty at all - while her spoiled silkies were fat little things.

So now I have roosters bordering on crowing (ranging from 2 days to 3 weeks away from it) that are a bit sad for the pot. I would like to fatten them up as much as possible in the next two weeks but I don't want to hamper any of their enjoyment in their last days, so no super hardcore evil diet or anything like that.

Is it possible to fatten with such short notice and how do I go about doing it? Lots of corn? Would the feed store have a special meat bird blend?

 

[Talihofarms]

I would get a bag of game grower and mix it with cracked corn 50/50 for about 3 weeks.
Feed twice a day all they can eat in 15-20 min.

Check breasts after a couple of weeks. Feel for a fat layer.
If not good go another week, maybe two.







just my .02

 

[elizabethbinary]

Thank you! I'll do that as long as I can. I'm in suburbia so I can't extend time past the morning they decide to crow - so I hope they wait for me!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

by nature silkies are little chubbies. Laying breeds will feel quite skinny no matter what. Corn would add "fat" but not much in the time frame you're looking at. chicken meat doesn't really get marbled like beef though, which is the reason for grain fed fattening. at most you will get some little fat lumps that most people pick off before cooking. Protien is what is going to add to their muscle mass and you can get that from a meat bird or game bird feed.
I butcher off my extra little layer breed roos they come in around 1.5 lbs but they are perfect for a pot of soup.

 

[elizabethbinary]

Quote:
Soup is not a bad idea... just seems a waste to need two birds for one pot!!

The birds I have are definitely too skinny though. I'm talking 5 full grown roos with maybe a handful or two of breast meat.... so I'll be 'fattening' (without) fat these ones up a little if I can before it's kill day. Like I got a skinny BARRED ROCK. It had virtually no meat on it.

Thank you for all this info!! I'm getting really keen on eating those silkies now!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

everyone says the silkies are awesome eating, just don't post that on the "i dress my birds up" threads.
I find 1.5 - 2 lb birds the perfect amount of meat for an extra large pot of soup.

 

[elizabethbinary]

Quote:
Awesome thanks! I was feeling really guilty like I was wasting them if I didn't let them grow out a bit more, but now I don't feel so bad!

My husband is afraid to eat the silkies. Says they're dog food. I just cringe at all the wasted silkies his dog ate!!

 

[booker81]

Since we aren't in the "dress you chicken in clothes" thread:

Those 8 silkie/mix birds gave me 2 gallons of rich stock, 2-3 pounds of shredded meat, and one big pot of chicken noodle soup.

Unless you pick up 8+ month old roos, you won't find them to be very big or fat, and even on those, you can often feel the keel bone.

This is a 15 week old SLW:

He was a good meal for us with leftovers, and his chest span was only about 4, maybe 5 inches. The breast meat doesn't bloom out the front like meaties, but rather is deeper and longer.

This guy was 8 months, and still could feel the keel, but you can KINDA see how long and deep his breast meat is.

 

[elizabethbinary]

Wow thank you for those photos that really helps! After seeing that I still, sadly, maintain they are underfed. Not only could we feel the keel bone, that was the only thing making the chest at all. We actually couldn't get *any* breastmeat off one. They were 12-20 weeks. Shame, but I can still use all the bones/feet/necks for stock, right?!

 

[booker81]

Quote:
Yup!

I threw all the silkie/banties in the big crock pot in the morning with water, and midday pulled everyone out and shredded the meat off. The crock pot got 6 carcasses, and a new pot got 2. I made soup in the new pot, which still flavored out very well with the carcasses, and then strained the stock out of the crock pot that night. Very easy (aka lazy!)