Freedom Ranger question

[baderdonna]

I have 100 freedom rangers that are 8 weeks old. When I was looking at their breast, lol, it looked like one side was bigger than the other. Is this normal?

 

[Elke Beck]

Are you looking at the keel, or are you looking at the front of the chest right under the neck. If you are looking at the keel and the muscles on either side are significantly different sizes, then that is not normal. If you are looking at the front, then you are probably seeing the crop stuffed with feed. Chickens' crops tend to be to one side or the other.

 

[baderdonna]

Thank you. I was looking at the front. I didn't realize the crop could get that big! LOL

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

In my limited experience (10 laying hens and 35 Freedom Rangers, now mostly in the freezer) Freedom Rangers are big eaters and their croups can look enormous.

 

[baderdonna]

Yes, I went out today and really looked before I put food out, and they looked normal. So then I looked after they ate and they looked abnormal. Hahaha can you tell that I have never raised meat chickens before ( yes we dove in and got 100)? So Hummingbird Hollow, do you like the taste of the Freedom Rangers compared to store or pasture raised Cornish X?

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Sorry, I guess I've been off this site for a few weeks. Yes, I have really enjoyed the taste of the Freedom Rangers I raised this past summer. Now in all fairness, most of what I buy at the store are leg quarters and boneleses breasts, while I processed most of my Freedom Rangers as whole birds so I've been experimenting with a lot of great roaster recipies where I cook the entire chicken and have a fabulous Sunday dinner and then we have something like a chicken cesar salad later in the week and the rest goes into a chicken and barley soup. They have been delicious, but I can't be sure if it's the loving treatment they received during their lives, or the loving treatment they're given in the kitchen.