Dual purpose chickens?

[Akrnaf2]

This is what confuses me. They reach processing age before they even lay. I want to process them AFTER they’re done laying. Is this possible? Like when they’re years old rather than weeks?

There was in the mid 20 century a wonderful breed called Lamona that was a very good layer BUT was wonderful to eat after the laying period, unfortunately they are almost extinct. If you can find it you will have exactly the breed you need!
Read this
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamona

 

[Akrnaf2]

After the head is off, the chicken becomes meat.

No it is exactly the opposite! It is meat that materialize as chickens as long as it has head !

 

[lazy gardener]

Now, that's an interesting way of looking at it! How ya doin' Benny?

 

[eatwhatyougrow]

There was in the mid 20 century a wonderful breed called Lamona that was a very good layer BUT was wonderful to eat after the laying period, unfortunately they are almost extinct. If you can find it you will have exactly the breed you need!
Read this
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamona

I should not have read that.... I am looking for a project to start this year....well it has made the list I think.

 

[Akrnaf2]

I should not have read that.... I am looking for a project to start this year....well it has made the list I think.

It will be wonderful if you will keep me (us?) Informed!

 

[Akrnaf2]

Now, that's an interesting way of looking at it! How ya doin' Benny?

The opposite point of view the איפכא מסתברא is our recognition sign! We are OK thanks H!

 

[speedy2020]

Hi there. I've been researching the chicken breeds we have and I'm wondering about birds who are good for eggs and meat. I have several chickens who are at the end of their laying days. They were hand-me-downs from the people we bought our house from. Most of them are meat/egg birds, so my plan was to just process them for food when they're done laying. I know chicken tends to be tough the older it gets, but are dual purpose birds different? If not, is there a way to process/cook them where they're edible? We raised meat birds one time and I couldn't bring myself to kill until they got HUGE. I baked the whole chicken and it was AWFUL. Super tough, stringy meat. We ate most if it just because I couldn't waste it after I killed it, but now I'm scared of the same thing happening again. I wish I could just keep them as pets but it's not realistic. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I favorite is American White Bresse. It's best to use the electric Instant Pot 6-8 quarts pressure cooker for old bird. I cooked about 3-4 minutes at high pressure for 4-5 years old, but don't do anything until the safe locked switch release itself about 30-45 minutes. This method use less energy and very safe.

 

[Dr.Dale]

I wish ther were local chicken butchering and processing lessons!

I just started talking about raising chickens with my colleagues at work. I was surprised to find out how many had experience. One of them raises meat birds every year and offered to let me help butcher next time. You may already know someone similar.

 

[Mosey2003]

Whatever you do, don't scald with literal boiling water, that's way too hot. In my experience, over 160F is too hot, I aim for it to stay between 140-150. I add a little Dawn dish soap to it and dunk then swish, pull out, dunk and swish, and keep doing that until the feathers wipe off the legs rather easily. That way they pluck well, but the skin doesn't tear. The wing feathers and tail feathers are always the hardest because they have the longest, thickest quills; if you keep scalding until they come out well you will probably overscald. Needle nose pliers help get a good grip.

Watch as many YouTube videos as you can before you start, that helps a lot, seeing how other people do it. Personally, I'm liking the broomstick method the best so far, and as long as you cut the head off they bleed out fine. I actually like to use a scalpel while processing, it's super sharp and short enough to really get in exactly where I want it.

Any bird will be tough if you don't rest it long enough for rigor mortis to pass, typically three days in the fridge or ice water. Any bird over ~16 weeks is going to be tougher than store-bought chicken. Anything over 5 months you really want to cook low and slow or pressure can. This is why spent laying hens are called stewing hens, they need to be stewed at low temperature for hours in order to be tender enough to eat.

 

[Mosey2003]

Oh, and try to do it early in the morning, before they've eaten. That way there is less material in the intestines and the crop is empty. My preference is to go out before daylight and catch them off the roost and put in a cage/kennel, that way they aren't getting all excited and being chased around (you don't want that) and you know they haven't eaten.