Dual Purpose

[Connorrm]

I believe the ideal age for a Coq Au Vin rooster is over a year old. That's why a lot of French restaurants in the US use dark meat for it instead. We don't get that tougher texture and fine graining the meat needs with just plain old age.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
I have some 10 week non hatchery Orps and was looking at them standing with my other birds yesterday...

They're almost as big as my year old BO hens from a hatchery! Definitely get your Orps from a good breeder. The difference in size can be astonishing. I processed one hen (hatchery BO) that only dressed out to 3 lbs but her legs/thighs were every bit as big as those store fryers, just less white meat. Very tasty!

I'm planning on keeping a roo and raising some for meat, though I think they are beautiful and it seems almost a shame to eat one haha.

 

[RareBreedFancier]

Quote:
Coq a vin is literally Cock in wine and traditionally it was a rooster over a year old. It will work just fine with an old laying hen.

I haven't tried it yet but I will down the track when I have birds that old.

I am breeding Silver Grey Dorkings. They are said to be a superb meat bird and though mine are only young they have great size, a huge breast and chunky powerful legs. I can't wait to try my first cockerels.

 

[Leah and peeps]

Thanks guys!

So overall DP hands down over the CX for flavour?
I most likely not go with the CX this time. I would just need to locate a good breeder in my arrea if i am going to raise the DP. Can they live in a tractor unitl procees like the CX, or do they need somthing else? (I guess a PCV tractor wouldn't do for them?) Has anyone raised hatchery DP for meat?

 

[Leah and peeps]

Any pics?

i'd love to see them in comparison to a CX
Also, I would be looking for a the biggets breed, in the shortest amount of time. Any suggestions?

 

[KaneMoa]

We raise Hatchery dp for meat regularly. We typically go with heavy breed cockerels because they get bigger faster, meat is firmer, tastes like chicken and we hate to kill pullets because eggs are very important to us and slaughtering potential layers seems wrong so we keep all females. Now cockerels around 12 weeks are another story. Let's just say when its time for harvest, its not as hard......

 

[Trapper Dan]

I've had great success with the Sussex Cross breed. Their egg production is stable right through the winter as well and they make for a good meat bird too but they are rather on the small side.

 

[Coffeemama7]

I have not yet raised a chick past 10 weeks, so I am very new to this.
I understand that the faster the chicken grows, the less flavor they will have.
Can anyone confirm this?

Many of the farmers around here raise cornish cross, but the breast is huge, and not as "meaty".
Many of my friends say that the smaller breasted birds have more flavor, too.
Is this really true?

 

[SJ]

Quote:
X2

 

[SJ]

Leah im rather new to this chicken thing but what expeirience i have had has been with DP breeds, except the leghorn rooster i adopted and later shot :lol.(thats a different story) Last june I got my order of 30 chicks that ended up being 32 chicks. 11 SLW, 5 NHR, 6 RIR, 5 BO, & 5 Delwares.


I too was looking for a dual purpose breed with good meat qualities and i didn't like the CornishX. I dont have pictures but this links to another post of mine about my first DP meat bird expeirence.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=5710383#p5710383
I cant recomend the Delaware highly enough. The boys grow fast are big, calm, quiet, gentle and i hear the girls are great layers a big brown eggs.