Are 1 1/2 year old layers ok to eat?

[Jed]

This next fall I will have some hens that will be 1 1/2 years old. I was not happy with their egg production this winter. As soon as the temperature dropped below 35 degrees they stopped laying. I went about 2 months without getting an egg from 5 birds. I am considering getting some chicks this spring to replace the slow laying birds. I will wait till this next fall to butcher them but they will be 1 1/2 to 2 years old at that time and towards the end of their prime laying years. Will the meat still be ok to eat? Will it be worth my time/money to have them butchered? The birds that slowed down are 2 silver laced wynodatte, and EE and 1 Austrolorp and 1 Sumatra.

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
They will be fine to eat, quite tough if you dont cook them right. We cook them in a crock pot and it works pretty well.

 

[ranchhand]

It's very likely that they have or had a hard molt at that age and the short days with a hard molt means no eggs for a while. It's perfectly normal.
They will likely start laying better as the molt finishes and the days get longer.

I'm not saying don't eat them, just that it's normal for them to not be laying. I've had many hens lay eggs far longer than 2 years. One-two years is more of a factory thing because they demand daily production from all hens. I had one BA hen who laid eggs until she was 14!

Just providing a different angle of thought. Young hens would be pretty good stewing hens, really tender if slow cooked.

 

[Jed]

With the meat being a little tough do you shred all the meat off the bird and use it that way?

 

[Jed]

I have a couple of other birds that lay almost everyday. But they are White Leghorns and a Red Sex Link. Probably will get more of those.

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
yup, then just bag it up and throw it in the freezer.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
Just slow cook it. They would be considered "roasting hens" if I am not mistaken. Here's a link to ALBC write up on how to cook older chickens.
http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf This goes for all breeds really, not just heritage

 

[phasianidae]

Quote:
Just slow cook it. They would be considered "roasting hens" if I am not mistaken. Here's a link to ALBC write up on how to cook older chickens.
http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf This goes for all breeds really, not just heritage

dont roast an old hen.

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
Just slow cook it. They would be considered "roasting hens" if I am not mistaken. Here's a link to ALBC write up on how to cook older chickens.
http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf This goes for all breeds really, not just heritage

dont roast an old hen.

huh? why?

 

[Cindiloohoo]

Quote:
dont roast an old hen.

huh? why?

NM! These girls would be stewing fowl. Maybe I should read my own links more often