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

[Newyorkrita]

Pretty isn’t the point. It’ll still taste the same. I REALLY need to learn how to carve a whole chicken.

@RUNuts offered to teach me how to process my own birds so hopefully we can get our schedules synced sometime this fall!

With the amounts of birds you are raising (and planning to raise in the future) it would come in very handy to be able to process some yourself. At the very least you could do a bird of each type for a taste test knowing which is which.

 

[jolenesdad]

With the amounts of birds you are raising (and planning to raise in the future) it would come in very handy to be able to process some yourself. At the very least you could do a bird of each type for a taste test knowing which is which.

That’s my thought. And also timeline with heritage breeds is really important.

I’d like to be able to know if I work on Delawares where that sweet spot really is for the particular breed, and be able to have side by side comparisons of carcasses to say this is 12 weeks, this is what happens to the breast at 16 weeks, etc.

 

[RUNuts]

Barnyard surprises from hatchery stock at 11 weeks. They started to crow. This is the first 4 of 10 hatchlings. Tried to get the biggest, but the scale says 1.5 pounds each. They are small.

Pin feathers!!

Took way longer than it should have this morning. Also why other 2 are skinned. These may get skinned today too, but I’ve already spent a lot of time.

 

[RUNuts]

@Texas Kiki - Barnyard surprise cockerels. First 4. First crow.

Jolene's Dad - heritage is Ideal Delaware hens and a Delaware mixed rooster. We think. 2 of these had single combs and other 2 had Delaware combs.

 

[jolenesdad]

View attachment 1866874 View attachment 1866875 Barnyard surprises from hatchery stock at 11 weeks. They started to crow. This is the first 4 of 10 hatchlings. Tried to get the biggest, but the scale says 1.5 pounds each. They are small.

Pin feathers!!

Took way longer than it should have this morning. Also why other 2 are skinned. These may get skinned today too, but I’ve already spent a lot of time.

Hard at work while we are all gabbing.

Great work!

 

[aart]

Pin feathers!!

IKR!?
I slaughtered hens late last year...full 'o pinnies....ended up skinning at final cleaning/parting out

 

[RUNuts]

The cockerels are significantly larger then the pullets. I'd guess pullets at less than 1 pound. The last time I did this, the single cockerel waited until 16 weeks to crow a lot and he was closer to 2 pounds. Same flock and rooster. And delicious! I'm not suggesting these are typical. They are hatchery stock and not selected from or for anything. I got the eggs from a mate and am learning the hatching thing, while replacing layers.

 

[Compost King]

I skin all my meat chickens, plucking isn't worth the effort.

 

[RUNuts]

I skin all my meat chickens, plucking isn't worth the effort.

We like rotisserie chicken. Prefer to leave the skin on for this. Gumbo doesn't need the skin, but chicken fat is heavenly for roux. I was hoping for some chicken fat. The dogs will enjoy it.

These are skinned. The ones tomorrow will be skinned. MUCH, much quicker than plucking. I was hopeful. Now, I'm aggravated and tired.

Now that I've decided on skinning, the 6 remaining identified cockerels will be skinned and probably tomorrow.

 

[Newyorkrita]

My rotisserie chickens come from Costco all cooked. Not from own backyard!!