Chicken Diet and the Way They Taste

[cluckmeister]

I had a friend once proclaim that his turkeys tasted spicier because he raised them in his pepper garden (he had many different types of peppers). Whether or not this is true, I know that diet plays a direct role in the way that your meat birds taste. Has anyone played around with feeding their chickens a certain food or supplement that causes the meat taste to differ? Or is there a taste difference in a higher grain concentrated diet or seed concentrated diet, etc. Summarizing this question, what makes chicken meat taste the way it does, and what have you done to make it taste different (or even have a different texture)?

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

We like to finish ours on cracked corn for weeks 6-8. Tasty!

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

I plan to finish mine on their grower feed and fruits/vegetables while they are on pasture.

Our beef cattle are finished with grains/hay and fruits/vegetables and you can really taste the difference in the meat. The roasts are so sweet and juicy, I can barely stand any plain grocery store beef now.

I am really hoping to get some delicious flavored chicken but even if the flavors don't transfer to the meat, its still better than store bought. I won't be too disappointed.

 

[bHen]

I know for certain that cows and pigs taste MUCH different depending on what they are fed. I would imagine that birds would be similar? I have a batch of meaties that are being raised on dry grains now and the next batch I will try on Fermented feed. It will be interesting to see the difference if any.

 

[lmatvey]

I have to add this thread to my subscriptions! It will be great to follow along!

 

[12321]

Quote:
x2

 

[AgroUrica]

I free-range my hogs on bermuda and whatever else grows in their 6 acre pen and the customers claim they have a better flavor than those finished on commercial feeds.

My meat birds too are finished on corn meal and fermented corn once they've reached 6 weeks and while I've got plenty of competition with chickens, I've also got many repeat clients who buy because of the flavor. Don't know if it's a mental thing or not, but one would have to believe that feeding them something more "natural" than the commercial feeds would make a difference.

I will say this, when fed on the commercial feeds, their skin is typically white. On corn, it's a distinctive yellow color....and that's what my clients are looking for.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It is true of all meats. Deer feeding in an apple orchard = tasty. Deer feeding on quinine bush = nasty.
The longer chickens grow the more flavor they potentially bring to the carcass. Chickens are omnivores so IMO some meat and fish meal in the diet helps. However too high a percentage of fish meal will flavor the eggs and meat like fish.
For my slower growing Pene roos I free range and switch to a milk and grain diet the last 2 weeks after pulling them off pasture.

 

[Bossroo]

Taste in any of the meats is in the intermuscle and under the skin FAT. This is why knowledgable people finish their animals on concentrated feed just prior to butchering to build up the fats.

 

[lmatvey]

Taste in any of the meats is in the intermuscle and under the skin FAT. This is why knowledgable people finish their animals on concentrated feed just prior to butchering to build up the fats.

What is concentrated feed? On the green fire farms web page it talks about "poul de Bresse" as being finished on corn and milk in confinement. What about finishing chickens on herbs like sage and tyme? or turkey for that matter? What imparts the strongest flavors and how long is finishing?