I culled my first cockerel, now what?

[ChickenChick46]

Does this look normal? The breast meat looks great, but the legs look darker than I'd expect. The meat was notably darker than store bought chicken before I started cooking it. View attachment 4229132

I don't know because I've never cooked a home raised chicken, but I do think I've read somewhere that the meat can be darker. But wait for someone that actually knows, lol. I also feel like when my mom used to cook Cornish game hens for us that they were darker than a regular chicken.

 

[redinator]

They'll be 12 weeks Thursday. Then the next oldest group is now 11 weeks.

Pot and Sweety both started laying just shy of 18 weeks (a little over 4 months), but they're standards. From what I understand bantams lay earlier, in general.

Here I am telling that, then I realized my TSC chicks are 13 and 14 weeks and don't have a nestbox yet, lol

 

[ChickenChick46]

Pot and Sweety both started laying just shy of 18 weeks (a little over 4 months), but they're standards. From what I understand bantams lay earlier, in general.

Here I am telling that, then I realized my TSC chicks are 13 and 14 weeks and don't have a nestbox yet, lol

I see a project in your future.

 

[redinator]

I see a project in your future.

I'll cobble something together once I see eggs. I let them tell me where they want to lay, then I build a box for them, lol.

 

[tlcmurphy]

I also don’t butcher my own birds, but my thought is that dark meat gets darker with exercise and CornishX are butchered very young after sitting with their face in a food dish their entire life. I think it’s fine, let us know how it tastes!

 

[redinator]

I also don’t butcher my own birds, but my thought is that dark meat gets darker with exercise and CornishX are butchered very young after sitting with their face in a food dish their entire life. I think it’s fine, let us know how it tastes!

That is the real test, isn't it, lol. Oh well . . . . if y'all never hear from me again Taz had the last laugh

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What breed was this bird? When we butchered Black Australorps and, if I remember correctly, Dominiques, the meat was darker than the Cornish we rsised or that you get at the grocery store. It's just the breed, it seems black-feathered birds can have darker flesh than white birds. It's still yummy!

 

[cavemanrich]

We made no-bake cheesecake in case dinner bombs, lol, at least we won't starve.

Topped with bluberry pie filling

Totally get that! I do pretty well, but I'm no gourmet chef, that's for sure. And some nights, I just don't feel like cooking a nice healthy meal. Tonight, for example, I'm going all out and making hot dogs.

We all agree here

 

[redinator]

What breed was this bird? When we butchered Black Australorps and, if I remember correctly, Dominiques, the meat was darker than the Cornish we rsised or that you get at the grocery store. It's just the breed, it seems black-feathered birds can have darker flesh than white birds. It's still yummy!

He was pale feathered barnyard mix.

 

[ChickenChick46]

I'll cobble something together once I see eggs. I let them tell me where they want to lay, then I build a box for them, lol.

Not a bad idea!