Buff Orpintons

[saxon23]

Hi All! I am a newbie in Normandy France, and have young Buffs and French White Gauloise that I have hatched out from the incubator having bought in eggs.

My question is, when is the best time to slaughter to get maximum weight without the birds getting tough.

I have been inundated with batums this summer having in excess of 100 chicks. Hens were popping up from all over the place with their chicks, and now we are dispatching them for the freezer because we have to get the numbers down, and I am introducing the bigger birds to take their place.

I chose the Buff's and White Gauloise because they are dual purpose, and we would like a decent sized bird for the table.

I noticed somewhere on here someone asking how much a banty would weigh out at for eating. Well I grow mine to the point when the cock birds start to be interested in the hens, and they each weigh in at around 500g prepared. I let the hens go POL and they weigh out about the same. It is a real shame because they are so pretty, but I shall keep a few favorites despite what my OH says!!

Anyway, thanks for reading and hoping to hear from someone who knows!

Kate:cd

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

and

I have Orpingtons who I raise. I like to butcher cockerels between 5 to 6 months of age or a bit older if I can. The dual purpose birds - they grow their frame (bone) first and then layer on the muscle once the frame stops growing.

 

[MeatKing]

From Canada

We let our extra buff rooster go to 16 weeks, after seeing SIL at 6 months I wish I would've waited!!!

 

[MoriahQuilts]

We processed our Buff Orps at 23 weeks because they were mean. If they had been more pleasant to the other birds I would have let them grow longer, but they had to be separated and we started other meat birds and needed the room. The flavor was great, meat was tender. They were about 3.5 lbs. I would have liked to have had more meat on the bones.