Chronicles of Raising Meat Birds - Modern Broilers, Heritage and Hybrids

[BlueBaby]

This naked neck was hatched from a hen from @Compost King 's eggs he sent to @BlueBaby with her NN rooster, which is very impressive. It has some Dorking and Red Ranger from the hen side, x NN cock.View attachment 2226364
This is it on the right @ 4 weeks old, Ideal white rock on the left is 3 weeks. It almost looked barred a couple of weeks ago when I got it.View attachment 2226376
I think the Silver Grey Dorking is what is giving this color. @BlueBaby kept it's hatch-mate with the 5 toes. This one was the largest in her brooder.

The little 5 toed one that I'm keeping was the last chick that hatched from my batch. It has really started growing now, and is bigger than the 2 White Rock's that I had traded you for.

 

[Parront]

The little 5 toed one that I'm keeping was the last chick that hatched from my batch. It has really started growing now, and is bigger than the 2 White Rock's that I had traded you for.

The hatch-mate I have is also much bigger then the White Rocks. Some Ranger blood is still in there! Were the chicks you hatched from the shipped eggs 1/2 Dorking & 1/2 Ranger, or was it more Dorking than that?

 

[RUNuts]

Observation on the nearly 14 week old Imperial Broilers. They aren't getting larger they are getting fatter. Fat pads on the abdomen and gizzard are getting larger. Schmalz in the slow cooker with necks, gizzards, hearts and livers. The first batch are gone.

 

[Parront]

Observation on the nearly 14 week old Imperial Broilers. They aren't getting larger they are getting fatter. Fat pads on the abdomen and gizzard are getting larger. Schmalz in the slow cooker with necks, gizzards, hearts and livers. The first batch are gone.

14 weeks sounds just right to me! Chicken livers and onions, fried up in that extra fat, YUM. Fast and easy way to end the processing day, if you ask me! Now you have me looking at these little Barred Hollands and checking (hoping) for roosters. LOL!

 

[RUNuts]

14 weeks sounds just right to me! Chicken livers and onions, fried up in that extra fat, YUM. Fast and easy way to end the processing day, if you ask me! Now you have me looking at these little Barred Hollands and checking (hoping) for roosters. LOL!

I'll eat the hearts and the gizzards. Just can't get past the taste of the liver. I'll use them for stock and get just enough flavor to be acceptable. You want these? They are fresh!

 

[Compost King]

Okay thanks for the advice. Is the artery hard to find? I don't want to hit the wrong thing and hurt the bird more than I need to

You have to know where it is to begin with, most videos showing how to kill the chicken will give a good demonstration as to where it is. I am not the best to ask where it is because I am a bit of a novice as well as a just an all around poor teacher. Many people just cut the artery and not the entire head. Youtube has thousands of videos on how to make sure you cut at the right spot. I go for a total beheading because then I know for sure I got the Artery.

 

[RUNuts]

To that point, slice just below the jaw to under the ear. I tend to slice the right left side since the esophagus and trachea are on the left right side. Occasionally, I'll catch a feather and have to slice more. Not the best either. If the blood is free flowing, good job.

I try not to cut the esophagus and trachea, although some people slice the throat straight across. See decapitation. There is no wrong way. Find one that works for you.

 

[Compost King]

To that point, slice just below the jaw to under the ear. I tend to slice the left side since the esophagus and trachea are on the right side. Occasionally, I'll catch a feather and have to slice more. Not the best either. If the blood is free flowing, good job.

I try not to cut the esophagus and trachea, although some people slice the throat straight across. See decapitation. There is no wrong way. Find one that works for you.

I would not have known the left side was better to do had you not posted that, I may change how I do things

 

[aart]

I tend to slice the left side since the esophagus and trachea are on the right side.

Up that close to the head they are pretty centered. I slice both sides.

 

[RUNuts]

I would not have known the left side was better to do had you not posted that, I may change how I do things

Apologies. I'm tired. I slice the RIGHT side of the bird. Holding the head in my left hand. Beak nestled in the palm and fingers around the back of the skull pulling down softly. Sorry for the confusion.

They are pretty centered, so it may not make a difference. The crop is on the right side so I may be full of it.

BE CAREFUL!

I suspended a cockerel by the legs and he kicked as I cut and I got both of us. I wore cut resistant gloves the rest of that butcher session. Made the gloves nasty and took a bit of rinsing. I went back to the kill cone. One less thing to worry over.