harvesting a broody?

[gigelus2k13]

I keep chicken for eggs, but occasionally I harvest the nuisance ones (the over-aggressive hen, the rooster etc). I now have a 2yo Buff Orp that gets broody so often and for so long that I finally decided to invite her for dinner - sitting all the time in a nest box just inconveniences the other hens and invites parasites in the coop.

The question is regarding the meat taste. I heard that a chicken will have an awful taste when she's brooding; is this true?

Thanks,

Serban

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't know that the meat will taste bad, but there probably won't be much of it since a broody doesn't eat much. I'm not trying to discourage you from processing her. I understand why you wish to do so. She's probably make some pretty good soup stock!

 

[dheltzel]

Can you move her to a separate cage with a wire bottom and no nest? That usually break them and she can rejoin the flock after a few days. Then you can wait until she fattens up if you still want to eat her. You could probably also sell her on craigslist. Hens that are reliable mothers are useful to some people. It's certainly a nicer fate for her.

 

[gigelus2k13]

Hi,

All last year I kept fighting her. Ice pads, dunking in cold water, separation in a mesh-bottomed box, even day eviction from the chicken range, nothing worked. I did give up and put some fertile eggs under her and she took great care of them until the chicks were about 6-7 weeks old; that motherhood episode seemed to cure her, but now, 6 months on, she's back at it. A great mother for sure but I'm not repeating the hatcing experience again, one time is enough for me.

Last chance is to find someone who wants a good mother-hen in my neighborhood, I'll post the question in the local yahoo chicken group. If not, then well...

Cheers,

 

[bobbi-j]

I wish I lived by you. I'm wishing one of my hens would go broody about now.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Seems its bad luck among a lot of people. Those that want broody and those that don't, seem to get wat they don't want. 8 yrs raising birds and have had 1 broody from 200+ hens which have been mostly DP/Broody types. And that's what I want to get. People that don't want 1 end up with more than anyone it seems. But in the end its personal choice and area laws/codes I guess. If she troubles you and you don't want the bother rehome her or freezer camp. About taste I can't say. But like some1 said above, prolly not gonna be overly meaty being off feed, or taking in minimal.