Brahmas for meat

[mixitup]

Has anyone ever had Brahmas for meat? I'm getting a trio soon and would like to raise some for meat, but haven't had experience with this breed.

 

[Highlander]

I butchered 2 cockerels at about 25 weeks of age. They were huge boys but once they were processed they were nearly all bone and not a huge amount of meat. The taste was great though.

 

[mixitup]

Thanks, I wondered about them since they are supposed to be utility. I'll still try them though and see how they turn out. I don't mind the weight aspect as much as the taste. Do you know how much they dressed out as?

 

[Highlander]

Thanks, I wondered about them since they are supposed to be utility. I'll still try them though and see how they turn out. I don't mind the weight aspect as much as the taste. Do you know how much they dressed out as?

No sorry, I didn't think to weigh them.

 

[oshun55555]

My main meat birds are Brahmas, ate a 5 month old 6 lb (no hatchery) tonight. Was delicious

 

[LilyD]

I raise Light Brahmas as one of my primary meat birds. The ones that I butchered this year were around 10lbs live weight at 5 months of age. After butchering they were about 6.5 to 7lbs dressed with a few that were smaller than that but I think a few were actually younger than 5 months and because they started a little bit smaller they weren't getting as much food from the feeders because the bigger chickens were hogging it all.

The only negative I have with this breed is that they don't have as much breast meat as a chicken you would buy from a store. They make up for it with a HUGE amount of dark meat though and they taste amazing. I also am going to be doing Dorkings and Dorking Austrolorp crosses as well. But the Brahmas are my primary birds.

 

[oshun55555]

I raise Light Brahmas as one of my primary meat birds. The ones that I butchered this year were around 10lbs live weight at 5 months of age. After butchering they were about 6.5 to 7lbs dressed with a few that were smaller than that but I think a few were actually younger than 5 months and because they started a little bit smaller they weren't getting as much food from the feeders because the bigger chickens were hogging it all.

The only negative I have with this breed is that they don't have as much breast meat as a chicken you would buy from a store. They make up for it with a HUGE amount of dark meat though and they taste amazing. I also am going to be doing Dorkings and Dorking Austrolorp crosses as well. But the Brahmas are my primary birds.

I was reading in one of those old google free Poultry books from the 1800s that states crossing a dorking rooster over Brahma hens results in breast bigger than both birds and early too I have some dorkings coming in April, i am going to try this cross.

 

[LilyD]

I was reading in one of those old google free Poultry books from the 1800s that states crossing a dorking rooster over Brahma hens results in breast bigger than both birds and early too I have some dorkings coming in April, i am going to try this cross.

Hmm I sense an experiment coming on after I breed a few loads of pure brahmas and dorkings I might Let both my Brahma and my Dorking Roo cover the girls and see what we get. My Brahma rooster is 13 pounds+ and is a monster. My Dorking rooster is not a year yet and is about 8 lbs so he is doing well and is very breasty. I do have a Gold Comet rooster but he and the comet girls will be going this year to make room for the new girls coming in so even the mixes will be good mixes.