Is there such thing as a NON-GMO bird

[Briani]

Some great discussion here...but...
Curious if @Briani has ever eaten a home grown chicken?
CX and/or Ranger type and/or layer breed?

A CX we raise 9 of them a few years ago... why do you ask?

 

[shedinator]

I would like meat and fresh eggs for my family. Mostly self-sustaining and most of all the least amount of chemicals possible

I agree with @Dona Worry on this one. My up thread suggestion about finding a local homesteader who's got free range dual purpose birds would be the next step if you're dead set on not buying in feed, but the most efficient approach will be to start with a flock of DP birds (I like Brahmas and australorps), selectively breed the ones best suited to your program, and eat the cockerels who won't become breeders.

 

[Briani]

Was just curious.
Have you ever eaten a layer breed?

No I haven't. Why?

 

[Briani]

At what age did you butcher those Cornish X? By two months is pretty normal. With dual purpose breeds they are often butchered at an older age because they grow so much slower. That means if you butcher them really young like the Cornish X (which some people do) there is very little meat there so you may be disappointed in the amount. If you wait until the put on more weight the hormones of puberty can add some flavors to the meat, especially the cockerels. Some people like that, some people hate it.

Also as they age the meat gains texture. You can turn any chicken of any age and any sex into a gourmet meal, but the older they are the more restricted you are in how you can cook them and not turn them into leather.

It happens on here a lot. People that are only used to the chicken from the store or a restaurant/fast food place are used to eating Cornish X butchered at a very young age. When they taste our chicken with the additional flavor or experience the texture of an improperly cooked older chicken they just don't like it.

If you decide to got the dual purpose route I suggest that you sort of ease into it. There may be a learning curve in how to cook them but don't over-commit until you decide it is for you. I'm glad you had the experience of raising your own Cornish X so you have them to compare with. At the end of the day you may see why many people consider the Cornish X the "best" meat bird. You can make an honest comparison.

They were about 9 weeks

 

[Amatsuhono]

https://blogs.scientificamerican.co...101-organic-farming-conventional-agriculture/

If chemicals are your major worry, this might be a good read for you.