Making Lemonade [Selective Culling Project - very long term]

[U_Stormcrow]

Took the (long overdue) all white hen, all black roo, all white roo from last hatch and sent them to freezer camp yesterday. They had been contained in an area I consider far too small (though meeting "standards" to keep from reinforcing the genetics that resulted in their color outcomes.

Health was good overall, fat contents reasonable. Heavier on the hen of course. No photos. Neither roo's gonads seemed fully developed, and no active egg production in the hen. Working backwards to figure out their ages from the thread above - but these were NOT "early maturing". Wife helped me part them out. Likely to grind the breast meat w/ some old duck (I need to take two today before the temps plummet) and make poultry patties. Wings and carcasses for soup. Legs and thighs bagged separately. I suspect the thighs will go towards a chicken salad of some sort, and we may "renn faire dragon leg" the legs (brine in stock, braise till near done, then smoke to add flavor). Its "a process" that we are still dialing in. No recipe yet.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Picks of the birds at younger age, here. All three were decent size. Not "Cx"-size, but bigger than many of my flock. I'd but the hanging weight of both roos around 6#, 6.5#. Hen close to 5#.

As best I can determine, these are from the late July hatch, so 6mo in age.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I suspect the thighs will go towards a chicken salad of some sort, and we may "renn faire dragon leg" the legs (brine in stock, braise till near done, then smoke to add flavor). Its "a process" that we are still dialing in. No recipe yet.

Interested to see how this turns out. I’ve never brined chicken but it sounds good. Have you tried smoking before braising? That’s how I do my ribs. I imagine just brining and smoking would be delicious too but maybe they wouldn’t turn out very tender

 

[Molpet]

Neither roo's gonads seemed fully developed,

I had this in some cases. Always late fall to winter.
Seems to be normal shut down for nonbreeding season according to some
Post in thread 'discolored testicle in heritage mix... cause?' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-in-heritage-mix-cause.1277956/post-20689298

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I had this in some cases. Always late fall to winter.
Seems to be normal shut down for nonbreeding season according to some
Post in thread 'discolored testicle in heritage mix... cause?' https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...e-in-heritage-mix-cause.1277956/post-20689298

THANK YOU! Very helpful. I was (mildly) concerned.

 

[Molpet]

THANK YOU! Very helpful. I was (mildly) concerned.

Yeah I was thinking about pitching the meat. Good thing I put in the freezer marked until I figured it out