Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[SunHwaKwon]

True Dat...on both counts, cockerels and chicks.

I usually harvest my cockerels between 13-16 weeks, before they start making trouble and while still tender enough for the grill.
Nope not much meat, but not ton more when I've done an older cockbird. Love that crispy grilled skin and the grilled bones make a killer stock.

Most of mine are Bantams

not even big enough for beer can chicken lol

 

[aart]

Quote: Well, people eat quail.

 

[junebuggena]

Most of mine are Bantams

not even big enough for beer can chicken lol

Just put a few in a roasting pan or in the crock pot. Cook till meat starts to fall off the bone. Pull off all the meat and serve. No one will ever know that it came from a small bird. And it's meat that you didn't pay a factory farm for.

 

[aart]

Quote: Nods vigorously.

Most the layer stock I eat is all stewed anyway...and there's always more stock than meat gleaned.
Cook that stock down thick, add your favorite gravy thickener, and it's a 'meaty' addition to some veg on rice or biscuits.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Very good ideas! Thanks! I don't want them to go to waste but was thinking they weren't the effort.

 

[junebuggena]

Nods vigorously.

Most the layer stock I eat is all stewed anyway...and there's always more stock than meat gleaned.
Cook that stock down thick, add your favorite gravy thickener, and it's a 'meaty' addition to some veg on rice or biscuits.

OMG! The stock! Grocery store stuff has nothing on homegrown bird stock. Amazing stuff.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I don't think I've ever had fresh bird, meat or stock, but I hear it's a lot stronger taste? I thought about raising them but my mom thinks it's gross & wouldn't let us. Well plus the fact these are our first chickens and they're also pets so I didn't want to get these ones and meat ones my first chicken experience. But another reason is I read the taste was stronger and/or had more flavor, if store ones even have flavor, and people who have only had store ones might not like it. So then I thought maybe I wouldn't even like it. And I'm not even sure I could kill or process one. Maybe one day I'll have them though. I'm also curious though: you know how grocery stores also sell the pre cooked & packaged, hot rotisserie chickens?? And how they sell all kinds of uncooked turkeys for thanksgiving? Well I recently realized our store also sells the uncooked, like plastic wrapped chickens, etc. And I was wondering if the ones you cook yourself perhaps taste better or less mushy than the rotisserie chickens? Or are they still flavorless mush compared to homegrown chickens? Probably a stupid question but I honestly don't think we've ever bought one of those uncooked whole chickens. Just the hot rotisserie chicken or like the raw chicken breasts and stuff.

 

[junebuggena]

I don't think I've ever had fresh bird, meat or stock, but I hear it's a lot stronger taste? I thought about raising them but my mom thinks it's gross & wouldn't let us. Well plus the fact these are our first chickens and they're also pets so I didn't want to get these ones and meat ones my first chicken experience. But another reason is I read the taste was stronger and/or had more flavor, if store ones even have flavor, and people who have only had store ones might not like it. So then I thought maybe I wouldn't even like it. And I'm not even sure I could kill or process one. Maybe one day I'll have them though. I'm also curious though: you know how grocery stores also sell the pre cooked & packaged, hot rotisserie chickens?? And how they sell all kinds of uncooked turkeys for thanksgiving? Well I recently realized our store also sells the uncooked, like plastic wrapped chickens, etc. And I was wondering if the ones you cook yourself perhaps taste better or less mushy than the rotisserie chickens? Or are they still flavorless mush compared to homegrown chickens? Probably a stupid question but I honestly don't think we've ever bought one of those uncooked whole chickens. Just the hot rotisserie chicken or like the raw chicken breasts and stuff.

Young birds under 20 weeks taste no different than the chicken you are used to. It does, however have more texture. The meat is firmer and it doesn't turn to mush in your mouth. Stock, on the other hand, is completely different. Commercial stock is basically chicken flavored water.
I prefer the flavor of mature rooster though. It's like beef.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Young birds under 20 weeks taste no different than the chicken you are used to. It does, however have more texture. The meat is firmer and it doesn't turn to mush in your mouth. Stock, on the other hand, is completely different. Commercial stock is basically chicken flavored water.
I prefer the flavor of mature rooster though. It's like beef.

Mature as in how old? Years?

 

[lisasflock76]

I don't have chicks yet but saw this thread and am excited to use this method. I'm in Oklahoma and the daytime temps are still 100. I'm thinking if outside they need a fan! So I may wait for milder temps.