BREEDING FOR PRODUCTION...EGGS AND OR MEAT.

[ronott1]

We'll be doing 25 birds at one time. Do you chill the meat for 48 hours before freezing? Is this "resting" the meat?

Yes!

It allows rigor to stop.

 

[Beer can]

I've never 'rested' chicken before, could be why I always thought they were tough. Last winter I brined a few, turned out excellent. The last one's recently I just packaged for the freezer and put them in our extra fridge for two days first, the two I grilled were very good and tender. It gets the rigormortis out of them. Don't know why I never thought of it before, always have done it with deer. You can feel the difference in the birds, after they cool they stiffen up, can't bend the legs easy, 24-48hrs later they are limp. I would recommend a resting period. Nice having a extra fridge for that purpose.

 

[ronott1]

I've never 'rested' chicken before, could be why I always thought they were tough. Last winter I brined a few, turned out excellent. The last one's recently I just packaged for the freezer and put them in our extra fridge for two days first, the two I grilled were very good and tender. It gets the rigormortis out of them. Don't know why I never thought of it before, always have done it with deer. You can feel the difference in the birds, after they cool they stiffen up, can't bend the legs easy, 24-48hrs later they are limp. I would recommend a resting period. Nice having a extra fridge for that purpose.

If you can slaughter, process and cook before rigor starts, and it is a 14 week old bird, It will be tender. If rigor has set in, it will be tough until rigor is gone.

Supposedly pithing(poking the brain through the nostril) will lessen rigor but I have not tried this.

 

[CanadianBuckeye]

Speaking of good dual purpose chickens....you don't seem to realize just how fortunate you are by living in Canada. No, you don't live anywhere near Quebec but you have access. The WHITE Chantecler is likely the best dual production breed of all time, considering your weather conditions.

If you don't like white birds, cross them with good Buckeyes.

If I didn't love the the NNs so much for so many reasons that only those who have owned them can understand, I would likely have followed my own advice and before it's all said and done, there still might be some Naked Necked Chanteclers with a touch of Buckeye and a hefty jolt of Heavy Cornish influence waltzing around here.

I'm not interested in having chickens mature enough to eat at 14 weeks....If I did, I'd just raise my Dairy Goats and hogs and buy chicken from someone else. It would be a lot cheaper.

It's true, I can find good white Chanteclers and I do consider them to be an excellent breed as well. From what I understand about Chanteclers they are probably better egg layers than the Buckeyes too. But our weather is more like Ohio than La Belle Provence, and the comb and wattles need to be a bit bigger for effective summertime cooling here.
I prefer the look of the Buckeye too, I love the big brows and Brahma-like skull, and I like the pea comb much more than the walnut. So it's just a matter of preference. I would probably like Chanteclers more if they didn't remind me too much of Headless Mike

Not enough mass above the neck on a Chantecler, pour moi!

But, one day, I will probably own some Chanteclers, I do admire that breed and I absolutely love the tails on the roosters.

 

[Turk Raphael]

It's true, I can find good white Chanteclers and I do consider them to be an excellent breed as well. From what I understand about Chanteclers they are probably better egg layers than the Buckeyes too. But our weather is more like Ohio than La Belle Provence, and the comb and wattles need to be a bit bigger for effective summertime cooling here.
I prefer the look of the Buckeye too, I love the big brows and Brahma-like skull, and I like the pea comb much more than the walnut. So it's just a matter of preference. I would probably like Chanteclers more if they didn't remind me too much of Headless Mike

Not enough mass above the neck on a Chantecler, pour moi!

But, one day, I will probably own some Chanteclers, I do admire that breed and I absolutely love the tails on the roosters.

FYI, the Chanteclers have cushion combs and many have quite masculine heads.

 

[ejcrist]

Good birds cost a lot. The last poultry show I went to, a breeder had 3 gorgeous Australorp hens + 1 Australorp rooster for $150 and there was a bidding war.

You're right on the money about good birds costing a lot. I found a BR breeder in NE that charges about $40 for pullets, but from what I could tell in the pictures they were extremely good quality. When I got to thinking about it, it's actually a good value when you think of the time it would save trying to breed lesser birds to come out that good. Not only that but my Brother-In-Law paid umpteen thousands of dollars for some exotic pet birds that doesn't even give him any eggs. I think I'll stick with chickens.

 

[DesertChic]

We'll be doing 25 birds at one time. Do you chill the meat for 48 hours before freezing? Is this "resting" the meat?

Just the thought of processing 25 birds at one time makes me want to run away screamed. So far I've managed a max of 3 birds in one day before my back demanded a long rest....and a muscle relaxer...and lots of ibuprofen.

 

[ejcrist]

Just the thought of processing 25 birds at one time makes me want to run away screamed. So far I've managed a max of 3 birds in one day before my back demanded a long rest....and a muscle relaxer...and lots of ibuprofen.

Amen to that! We processed 22 last April but I required everyone we invited to the cookout to pitch in. I told everyone they could either pluck or gut but we required 100% participation - no work, no eating. The only exemptions were for those over 80 or under 10. This coming December we'll be processing 30 birds, assuming all the Cornish Crosses make it to processing day and the same rules apply. Everyone seems to enjoy it and I haven't had anyone complain or decide not to come. We also gave every family one whole chicken, a dozen eggs, and fresh vegetables to take home. If it was just me I wouldn't want to process more than 3-4 though.

 

[3riverschick]

Not exactly but it's the closest cross road with anything on it!
But rumour is, I heard from someone who heard it from someone, maybe even someone's Dad, men in black suits were dragging the mill pond late, late last night for something or other that escaped.........

Well those "suits" better be careful! The Martian Manhunter is helping Supergirl and they really don't want to get on his bad side! Plus, you never know, the Flash may decide to go universe hopping again and show up to assist!
VBG,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

As always you make some OUTSTANDING points and give me a lot to contemplate. I wish I had the advantage of knowing one of those "breeders back in the day" so I could reap the benefits of their hard-earned wisdom, but people like me who have had to start from the beginning and pretty much alone must also go through the growing pains. But I do thank you and others on here for sharing your knowledge and (hopefully) improving my learning curve. I'm hoping that I'm on the path of creating consistently good birds.

Ask the old time breeders. There are a bunch here on BYC. I have found them so willing to share and give advice. Walt Leonard (BYC: fowlman01) Chairman of the APA Standards Committee. BYC : Dragonlady who has been breeding stunning Buff Orpington s for years and fancy poultry for over 50 years. BYC : NYREDS another BYCer with decades of experience. And many more.
And then there are certain BYC threads where they concentrated their knowledge. 2 locked threads are Chicken State University and the original Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread. I always look for that honored BYC "Educator" badge and make a note of that person's particular area of expertise( if they are not a generalist).
So much wisdom here on BYC.
Best,
Karen