Good, tasty meat birds

[Arielle]

SOunds like you had the cornish cross and they should not be tough even at 10 weeks. LInda brings up another good point-- how the carcass is handled AFTER processing. I can put mine in the refrig for a couple days , then roast up. I have hear of other, but not doneit myself, to pull out of freezer and let sit in fig for a few days to get the rigor out.

Try , try again.

 

[ronaldconaway]

Thanks for the advice, I will try again

 

[katbriar]

Can I recommend you try fermented feed?

The cornish cross do great on it, and here's the part I love: it takes about 1/2 of the same amount of dry to raise them on so it will save you a lot of money.

I don't know how to post a link but you can search for it. If I can figure it out I'll come back and edit this post.

Good luck with your birds!

Eta- the long version is on the thread "fermenting Feed for Meat Birds" and here is a link (I hope) to a summary:

http://www.tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/13/fermented-feed-faq/

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

I've raised some CornishX, some Freedom Rangers and some Red Rangers for meat. I also have a batch of dual purpose roosters in the grow out pen as well as butchering and cooking several adult hens and roosters. While I've noticed some differences in growth rate, health and cost between the different varieties, I haven't found any of them to be tough if prepared and cooked properly. CornishX are the most like supermarket chickens with large breasts while the Freedom Rangers and Red Rangers have smaller breasts and larger legs. I believe your main problem is not resting the chickens for 2 - 3 days before cooking them. I think you'll have better results with anything you raise if you follow that advice. I don't usually have the time or stamina to do all of my chickens in one day. If I'm working alone, I may stop at 3 or 4, if I have help, double or even tripple that amount, tossing each in a cooler of ice water when I finish butchering. When I'm done and get everything cleaned up and take a coffee break, I go back and pull them out of the cooler to drain on the dish rack in the sink. Once they've drained, I double bag them in plastic grocery bags, tied shut and stick them in the 'fridge for 3 days. On the third day one usually goes in the oven to cook and the remainder are shrink wrapped, weighed and labled and go in the freezer.

 

[Triple Willow]

Can I recommend you try fermented feed?

The cornish cross do great on it, and here's the part I love: it takes about 1/2 of the same amount of dry to raise them on so it will save you a lot of money.

I don't know how to post a link but you can search for it. If I can figure it out I'll come back and edit this post.

Good luck with your birds!

Eta- the long version is on the thread "fermenting Feed for Meat Birds" and here is a link (I hope) to a summary:

http://www.tikktok.wordpress.com/2014/13/fermented-feed-faq/

Ditto on this!

 

[Chukar man]

I've heard that jersey giants make good meat birds

 

[CrazyTalk]

Did you let the birds rest after processing for a period of time?

I don't think he could have. He said he slaughtered them today, and the meat is tough.

 

[Kiki]