Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Demosthine]

One of the slips was my daughter's Gil-Bird. She doesn't know about it yet.....

That said, this is the little girl who had a calf named Hamburger who sucked her thumb, even when he was grown, and who wanted to know if her burger was "Hamburger" hamburger. When answered in the affirmative, she quipped, "He sure does taste good!" As long as he is properly roasted, she will be fine with the demise of ol' Gil-Bird.

Sounds a bit like my family. From the day we brought home the first chicks, I started teaching my girls, six and eight at the time, that once they stopped laying, they would become dinner. When we purchased our three turkeys early this year, they named them Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. There was never any doubt as to when and where they'd end up. The enjoyed them all the same, though. With our recent venture in to rabbits, that same thing is happening. It was always that the first batch of parents were "safe" and wouldn't go to Camp Freezer unless something ended up wrong, and all of the kits would become dinner. That's changed slightly with this first litter so far. The doe turned out to be aggressive towards the kits, so she'll be butchered here shortly. Meanwhile, the new brother and sister may stay to become parents. We haven't finished deciding yet. An aggressive doe was not what I expected, especially from our first mother. But hey, the girls have gone with it and are ready to move on.

I guess it helped that I started joking around about "chihuahua tacos" shortly after their Mom and I started dating at five and seven. They've even asked for that as a meal a few times. But alas, it's a bit difficult to find that particular species in the meat markets around here... My wife said her new dog will not be rehomed if he doesn't work out, however. He gets to join the six roosters that are on vacation in the frozen wastelands. I'm just waiting for them to ask for Bambi and Black Stallion for dinner...

Want not, waste not, right?

 

[BCMaraniac]

Bee, the RR dressed out 5-51/2 pounds, and there was 1#9oz of abdominal fat in the 4 of them. The capon slips weighed 4 1/2 pounds at 8 months, and they are nowhere nearly as big as my big fella that I have been weighing even though they are the same age. I wish I knew which of my Marans hen is the mama of the big guy.

I put all of these guys in the fridge to rest after getting them ready to freeze, and my hubby just came out of the kitchen and asked me if I REALLY had to label one "GilBird", then put him in the very front of the fridge??

I promise I didn't do it on purpose!!! I guess when my daughter gets home in the wee hours of the morning and opens the fridge to see if there are any leftovers from dinner, she is going to be in for a surprise!! Knowing her, though, she will want me to bake him for Christmas dinner!

 

[Beekissed]

I always feel that my favorite birds that eventually hit the cull list taste much better than all the other chickens. I think it's because that loving feeling lingers on and the memories of that animal are fond ones, so I always feel like their meat is extra special. I know it's just in my mind, but it still happens all the same. While other people seem to have trouble eating their birds they've named, I particularly enjoy eating the meat of those with which I have bonded the most.

Those are some good wts on those rangers, particularly for hens! Here I was thinking they were a little smaller than the CX from the pics I've seen but those seem like pretty average wts compared to the CX.

 

[BCMaraniac]

The reason my daughter claimed this bird was that she found him in the incubator, freshly hatched and still wet......the first chick of our first incubator hatch. She had no problem with him being caponized, and she said she had no problem eating him......as long as she didn't have to kill him.....but she feels that way about any of the chickens. She would butcher them if she had to, but I guess she won't have to as long as mama does it......LOL.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Bee, it would not take much to get these birds looking better! They were being fed dry scratch for months in a small pen where they had less than 10sqft each inside of a gloomy metal shed. I recognized the exact scratch being used... it is 8% protein. Which is why these birds are only like 14lbs at nine months... They are severely nutritionally starved. I feed the same scratch... I mix it as one part to two parts alfalfa, some greens and a 20% feed. Fermented that should be close to 19% protein. It is a HUGE change from the dry scratch they were eating. Plus they went from no sun at all to full sun during the day. It is SUCH an influx of vitamins of all sorts it would be hard to not make a difference! Poor birds. :/

 

[BCMaraniac]

Well, Bee, I made schmaltz tonight. I ended up with nearly two pints.....tell you what fat fat fatties those 4 birds were. I diced an onion very finely and put in in the fat to cook as I rendered it. The house smells really good, the schmaltz has been put in jars, and sealed. I gotta cook feet, neck bones, etc tomorrow to make a bit of broth......and doggie treats for the freezer.

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, it would not take much to get these birds looking better! They were being fed dry scratch for months in a small pen where they had less than 10sqft each inside of a gloomy metal shed. I recognized the exact scratch being used... it is 8% protein. Which is why these birds are only like 14lbs at nine months... They are severely nutritionally starved. I feed the same scratch... I mix it as one part to two parts alfalfa, some greens and a 20% feed. Fermented that should be close to 19% protein. It is a HUGE change from the dry scratch they were eating. Plus they went from no sun at all to full sun during the day. It is SUCH an influx of vitamins of all sorts it would be hard to not make a difference! Poor birds.

My niece raised some CX like that once but couldn't kill them, so I got them at around 6 mo. old and they too were raised in a metal quonset type barn structure and also raised on just cracked corn only. They were not bad on weights and were surprisingly in good shape...go figure.

Doesn't it feel good to brighten up an animal? Especially one you intend to eat, because I can just imagine the good nutrients flowing into the body and making the meat taste better.

Well, Bee, I made schmaltz tonight. I ended up with nearly two pints.....tell you what fat fat fatties those 4 birds were. I diced an onion very finely and put in in the fat to cook as I rendered it. The house smells really good, the schmaltz has been put in jars, and sealed. I gotta cook feet, neck bones, etc tomorrow to make a bit of broth......and doggie treats for the freezer.

That's a lot for just that number of birds!!! They must have been FAT with a capital PHHHHH!

I think you'll find this FF fat rendering out has a smooth, buttery goodness that is so creamy and mild. I almost wanted to taste a spoonful it was so pretty...but...ick. Should be great for cooking. What do you find you use the most of your bird fat in? I've read that it's excellent in making pastries.

 

[Triple Willow]

Yep, definitely cheaper.
I consider my meat birds (not cornish crosses, btw) an investment. I enjoy watching their natural behaviours, being free to forage & then they provide us with their fantastic meat. I believe cheap meat has a different cost all its own, as I'm sure others will attest. FF is one way folks can minimize cost of raising one's own chickens in a healthy way, for benefit of both poultry & people.

Hey guys, been off dealing with some family probs. Sick son - trying to get him help. I didn't want to create drama, so I just stepped out for awhile.

Hey there Shellz. I'm sorry to hear your son isn't feeling well. You guys will be in my prayers too. Don't worry about the drama. They haven't run me off yet! LOL I hope the MRI finds nothing and he is feeling better soon!

 

[BCMaraniac]

They had more fat than innards, at least it seemed that way. and it was so pretty and clean, so I just couldn't resist. I strained it, and it was so pretty, clear, a gorgeous yellow.....of course it was still hot at that point. It smelled so good, I almost wanted to eat a spoonful of mine too.

This is the first time I have made schmaltz, so I expect to be using it in soups and stews. It is supposed to be good as a spread on dark heavy breads. I wonder what kind of pastries are good made with it. I wonder if it would be good to chill, then use it instead of butter or shortening in biscuits......they use lard, so why not......except that you would have to work fast with it before it got too soft......something to consider, I guess.

I really don't need the fat, but I didn't want to waste it, especially since there was so much of it. Those 4 averaged 6 ounces of fat each.....and that was all internal abdominal fat!!! I guess everything in moderation......

 

[Triple Willow]

You guys have been busy! I've got one, possibly two roosters I could kill. ...been putting it off.