Light and Coronation Sussex

[longranger]

I have found my favorite meat chicken and the variety is ironic because of present cost of these varieties. It is the huge Greenfire line light and Coronation Sussex. These birds get huge and put on weight pretty fast. Butchered 9 roos yesterday at about 14 weeks. Even with only about 8 hours of resting they were more flavorful, juicy and tender than any cornish cross I have eaten. Average dressed weight was about 4.5 lbs. Have no idea what feed efficiency was. This is the only "dual purpose bird" that has seemed worth raising for meat I have encountered. Other varieties tried including Marans, RIR, several others have been tougher and less tasty by the time they reached a size suitable for butchering. Only butchered extra roos with less than optimal feet. A lot of week toes in this bloodline.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I too have heard a lot of good about these birds and their weight gain. Too bad they are sooo crazy expensive right now.

 

[longranger]

The Coronation are rediculous pricey. The Light sussex are not too bad. Grow and taste the same.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

did you skin them or pluck?

 

[longranger]

Scald and pluck. Skin a little thin at 3 months but worked great. Gonad developement very little perhaps explaining the tender meat and lack of any gamey roo taste. Don't get me wrong I like the taste of real home grown chicken but a 1 yr old roo definately is a bit too gamey for my family. Gets it all to myself.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Yes they are big boys--and the hens too.

 

[keesmom]

Quote:
Hey, you beat me to it! I plan on having the extras processed in the next week or 2. I'm glad to see you had a positive review.

I agree on the toes. Some that were fine at hatching are not so good now. I still have 3 or 4 good ones to choose from though.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I don't have any toe problems with mine--except for the one BIG roo...but his froze last winter...he didn't come to me like that....

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Hey... mine is missig two toes too, from frostbite. I felt horrible!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
I found mine with the beginnings of frostbite. I locked him in the coop, dried off his feet and sat him on a ladder under the heat lamp for a while. His toes were like blocks of ice, literally. He did not lose the toes but instead, they got very fat & swollen looking because of the tissue damage. I can't show him now because of that but because it's not genetic, I'm keeping him as breeder.