BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[DesertChic]

I got a lot of fat like that on my Naked Necks that I culled in December (it was impressive - and lots more than the New Hampshires at identical age and feed). I didn't skin like Beekissed, but there was extra that came off around organs or near where incision was made. I put it in the bag with the other soup-making stuff (necks and feet) to render. So good with potatoes!

- Ant Farm

Now you guys have me wondering, because I've only gotten one bird with that much fat on it. All of my others have been quite lean, albeit meaty. Hmm.....

 

[Beekissed]

@Beekissed do you leave the fat on when you can? Do you debone them? Keep the meat a mix, or separate out the breast?
My mother always canned the old birds. I just freeze and crock pot, easy to monitor. I tried the pressure cooker again for a tough rooster a couple weeks ago, almost ruined it, can't see it in them. Only cooked it 20 minutes, but let it cool down before opening. It was still together but I had to be extra careful removing the meat, borderline falling apart. Made excellent soup!

I have of late, though I used to separate it out and render it down for schmaltz. I don't debone any longer, just can them with bone in. I mix the meat in each jar so there is equal white and dark meat.

 

[Beer can]

Thanks @Beekissed , just was wondering how you did it. Figured probably deboned, but you never know, many ways to can. When I do venison, it's the crappiest of meat, silver skin, tendons, everything. Old guy that got me into it says it makes more flavor, and you just knock the top white chunk out of the jar before you eat it, all the bad stuff floats to the top on venison,leaving nothing but awesomeness, the shanks become tender vittles.
I don't can much venison lately, six qrts a year maybe just in case armageddon hits, since I found the same cuts work great fine ground and turned into awesome cured sausage and bologna. I always tell friends that are just in awe of my sausage; I make it out of the same stuff you idiots throw away!
I don't remember how mom did it, but dad said he was pretty sure the 'canned chicken' he ate at his grandparent's was 'squab' pigeons. Said the cupolo on their barn looked like a trap, and the 'chicken' bones in the 'canned chicken' they ate was really small...Lol!

 

[Mini Meat]

Quote: I wonder how much that has to do with climate. Fat is an insulator. I wonder if warm climate = less fat / cold climate = more fat.

I know my body temp runs hotter when I am packing more fat.

Edit: May also relate to season. More fat fall, less spring.

 

[Beer can]

I got a lot of fat like that on my Naked Necks that I culled in December (it was impressive - and lots more than the New Hampshires at identical age and feed). I didn't skin like Beekissed, but there was extra that came off around organs or near where incision was made. I put it in the bag with the other soup-making stuff (necks and feet) to render. So good with potatoes!

- Ant Farm

I get a lot of fat on my birds, I contribute it to feeding them a little cracked corn, I'm not sure though. Only throw a few hand fulls when I feed them so the feed is open to whoever, some scramble for the corn and some hit the feed dish. I don't think I over do it. The fat when I gut them, on the back side concerns me, they say a fat hen doesn't lay good. and it is where I would think it could cause problems. I don't think I have a problem with egg production though. I don't know what I'm doing right, or what others in my state are doing wrong, they are getting no eggs in our cold dark weather, and putting lights on them. I've done it also in the past, RIRs I used to have laid like crazy with supplemental light. No artificial light the past few yrs and I'm still getting enough eggs to feed our family and not have to buy any. Maybe it helps if they come into lay in the winter? Maybe they just lay because it's time to do so, to heck with the daylight? IDK?

 

[Beekissed]

Nah. I've killed all different breeds at all times of the year and some birds have fat and some do not. A leghorn won't put on any more or less fat in my climate than it will in another, because a leghorn has a fast metabolism and doesn't store fat much at all.

I think it's just plain ol' breed trait of having a slow metabolism that keeps the bird feed thrifty. Humans, dogs, horses, sheep...all the same. Some stay fat on less feed than others and some can't keep fat on no matter how much you feed them or what time of year it is.

 

[bnjrob]

Quote:
Same here - always very lean. The only time that I've gotten fat amounts that look like Bee's photos is when we put some cull cockerels into a relatively small pen and fed them a large amount of corn for several weeks in winter before we butchered them.

 

[Fire Ant Farm]

There could be a number of reasons I got the fat in my NNs. It was December, and they all were ranging on lots and lots of fresh green grass in addition to their feed (I don't really give treats or scratch at all) - though the NHs got that, too. Also, because it was December, and the NNs were in a tractor (had shelter, but a bit less than a tight coop), it may have been an adaptation to "cold" weather - really just a few chilly nights (vs. fully feathered New Hampshires).

You know, now that I think about it, the NN phenotype cockerels (fewer feathers) had more fat than the Nn phenotype ones. (I remember it by cockerel, but maybe hadn't put that together before).

(Of course, that has nothing to do with Beekissed's results!)

- Ant Farm

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

I think maybe a word about fattening birds for slaughter, and having extra fat on layers. We don't really want fat layers, do we?

 

[dfr1973]

We don't really want fat layers, do we?

For my roasters - whether cockerel, slip, or capon - I certainly do!

Yum yum yum ....

ETA: The fat will only be as unhealthy as the bird's diet.