help! They need to be fattened up!!!

[Cason]

What chicken, then, is she wanting? (besides CornishX) Enquiring minds want to know.

 

[FLOWERPOT]

Ok, My uncle came over to check them out for me,
I remember his chickens when I was (much) younger and they were always so fat!!
He explained that his were meat birds, Cornish. And that mine were fine but will not get as fat as his were because of the breeds. I felt the breast area and thought they felt thin, Aparently that is how their breeds are untill they get older,then you dont want to eat em anyway!!
Miss Prissy You are right.

I have 3 dogs that hang out with the chickens but I keep them healthy. Frontline and regular vet checks.

 

[greyfields]

Let me stand up for dual purpose birds in saying there is nothing 'wrong' with the meat, flavor or texture. It's just not what you are used to; and I prefer broilers. But, there are some very good uses for roosters:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2001/nov/25/foodanddrink.shopping

Despite my urging of people to raise broilers, I always have a few cockrels in my freezer. When you breed, you sometimes have the odd bird to dispatch. I also sometimes preper croquettes with them, which is a nice use for the meat as it has lots of texture.

So your uncle is right in that if you were to throw one of the cockrels into a roaster, it won't be like chicken you've had before (which turns a lot of people off). With care, though, you can have some very flavorful chicken from these birds.

But, seriously..... raise broilers next time.

 

[iajewel]

I agree, the breast is always thin unless you caponize. I do like to caponize the ones Im saving back as roasters.

 

[FLOWERPOT]

I didnt get the chickens to put in the freezer but I dont know what else to do with all the roosters.
I have been flirting with the idea of getting some broilers but I have a tendancy to get too attatched to any animals quickly.

Grayfields thank you for the link, Im going to check it out further now.

 

[FLOWERPOT]

have you tried this recipie?
Sounds so yummy!!

 

[Bassleg]

iajewel What kind of heavy duel purpose breeds do you have?

 

[iajewel]

One bunch is Barred Rocks, the other batch is a crossed up mess LOL.. They are Barred Rock x Standard Buff Cochen. Large birds that look more like a very large Rock. Im experomenting with some color patterns while keeping the size.. I will let you know how it works out in about 10yrs

 

[greyfields]

Quote:
We usually use the one in the River Cottage cookbook (Hugh Fearnley-Whittinstall, amazon.co.uk); but I couldn't find that one online.

I also have a book from Elizabeth David from 1960 which the recipe is based on. If you don't have that classic coobook, you really ought get a copy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_David

The importance of the book, even without photos or too detailed instructions, is that it was a snapshot of how people cooked prior to the industrialization of the food industry... back when a lot of people were smallholding and raising their own meats, rather like what many of us here on the forum are trying to recreate.

I personally melt for coq au vin. I've had it in exceptional restaurants and in dives, and I'm never disappointed. Chicken, musrhooms and red wine? How could it possibly not be good?