Free Cornish X - Worth it??

[Beekissed]

Totalcolour, I'm wondering just how tender and good that stuffed, boneless chicken was....it looks absolutely mouth-watering! I'm also wondering...have you ever deboned a turkey and prepared it this way? I'd sure like to try it this next Thanksgiving.

Until then, I will try this on the CX I am raising this year and will report back as to the flavor, juiciness, and overall experience. Thanks again for the pics and the links!

 

[shadowmane]

So, could you do this with layers too, or just meat birds?

 

[Beekissed]

I intend to do so....but I will probably keep a base of layer mash mixed with whole grains to keep laying at optimum. Later on I'll try it without the layer ration but just mix in some OS to see if there is any drop in egg production without the actual layer ration.

Of course, my birds free range, so there is an extra supplement there that penned chickens would not have.

Either way, it can only save on feed, whatever you may be fermenting and feeding.

 

[Totalcolour]

Totalcolour, I'm wondering just how tender and good that stuffed, boneless chicken was....it looks absolutely mouth-watering! I'm also wondering...have you ever deboned a turkey and prepared it this way? I'd sure like to try it this next Thanksgiving.

Until then, I will try this on the CX I am raising this year and will report back as to the flavor, juiciness, and overall experience. Thanks again for the pics and the links!

The bird wasn't really tender (mushy) like a store bought bird, but it wasn't tough either. I think the slow cooking and the moist stuffing (plus I turned it a few times during cooking) kept it juicy and tender.

No, I haven't done turkey this way, I did it this way:

Part 1

Part 2

I did get a capon though, and boned and stuffed it, with a boned and stuffed small duck that was really good!

I try all sorts of boneless stuffed meats - did a boneless stuffed goat leg, stuffed rabbit loins, boneless chicken stuffed with veal and pistachios . . . I love trying new things

 

[hydroswiftrob]

Woohoo! Got the go ahead from my wife to try it this weekend. I can't wait, the bird is defrosting as we speak.

Totalcolour, what temperature and how long in the oven?

 

[Totalcolour]

Woohoo! Got the go ahead from my wife to try it this weekend. I can't wait, the bird is defrosting as we speak.

Totalcolour, what temperature and how long in the oven?

Low and slow - I did mine at 325f and I'm not sure of the time. I did it on it's breast first, then one side, then another side, then breast up (about 15 minutes per side). I Seasoned it and sprayed with grapeseed oil (I have an oil mister). You can use olive oil, but I didn't want to affect the taste, and grapeseed is very bland.

I don't know how big your bird is, so you could use a thermometer. I did all the veggies ahead of time so I wouldn't have to worry about the bird being "on time"! Me, I just figured it was done when it was nice and golden all over. (Best guess recollection was 1 hour 20 mins, but I can't remember how big the chicken was so it's not much help.) {But for me, a boned, stuffed bird is "usually" 15 minutes a pound + 15 minutes at the end.}

Thing is, with a boned bird, you don't get all the variation with the leg and thigh versus breast - it cooks much more evenly. If it's getting very brown before you think it's cooked through (maybe it's a big bird), just cover it with foil, or a lid, and cook a bit longer, or turn down the heat. But, there shouldn't be much variation with time per pound.

Also, I sauteed the celery and mushrooms before stuffing. If you are using a meat stuffing, it will need to cook a bit longer to make sure the meat stuffing is cooked.

I'd wish you good luck, but I don't think you need it. This is such an easy way, and I don't think you will be disappointed. (Don't put in much salt, it draws the moisture out and makes it tough; add salt at the table!)

Oh, and while it's cooking, don't forget to use the carcass to make a nice sauce or chicken stock for the pantry - your wife will love you!

 

[WalkingWolf1]

Do it myself. I drilled small holes in a 5 gal. bucket and placed it down into another. Place the grain in the top bucket, cover the grain/feed with water and soak. I speeded up the fermentation process by introducing a little unpasteurized ACV with a good mother culture in it.

You don't have to do it in the sieve system I setup but it comes in handy to just lift your grain bucket up and let the excess fermented fluid drain off before you feed. Depending on the warmth of the place in which you are doing your fermenting, soaking 8-15 hours is supposed to give your grain time to ferment enough to produce the valuable probiotics you are looking for. They are just pulled from the air...unless you want to speed it up like I did.

I just keep the same fluid in the bottom bucket and just add fresh water when necessary to get the right level to cover my feed. They call that backslopping....keeps those strong cultures in your grain fermenting system. Think sourdough bread...same thing.

Fermenting your grains is supposed to increase your protein by 12%, increase the absorption of your feed nutrients, increase total nutrient value, increase bowel health, increase laying performance, help prevent disease~particularly the intestinal ones like cocci, salmonella, e.coli, lower total feed consumption and thus total feed costs but will cause more weight gain on the lesser amounts of feed.

I've been doing this with my new CX chicks(54) and we are on their 4 th day. Their poop now looks like normal chicken feces, they have consumed less feed than they normally have by now, seem more content on the feed they are eating, prefer the fermented over the dry and are growing well. All bright, active and gaining ground. I am also offering buttermilk free choice in one waterer and unpasteurized ACV in the water of the other waterer...they can't get enough of it but don't seem to have the excessive thirst the CX normally have. Could be because they are not dehydrated from the constant diarrhea typical of this breed.

If you don't mind would you start a separate thread on this. This sounds very interesting and I know more than just a few folks will be interested to follow your progress and hear/see how your group turns out on this. Thanks for sharing this information Beekissed.

 

[Beekissed]

I rarely START threads...can only remember starting a couple three.

Has to be something of great interest that people have been asking a lot of questions about on the open forum before I think it warrants a thread of its own.

I apologize for getting into the subject on this thread, though, and will encourage any more questions to be directed via PM!

 

[shadowmane]

LOL... the OP hasn't returned to this thread. He's probably already got the meat birds and moved on. Why not talk about the other two subjects that have come up in the thread (fermented feed and de-boned chicken roasting)? Just an observation, not a rant or anything. But I'll do it. I'll go start another thread on fermenting feed.

 

[Darin115]

I have been following the thread. I felt kinda bad for taking the birds that he has been feeding for 5 months. I told him I would process them and split them with him. He works for the power company and has trouble finding the time to process.

Thanks for all the replies.

Darin