My DH thinks he has the best plan for our hens.

[fried green eggs]

They are all DP and not even a year old and they have been laying all winter with added light in coop. Today we only got 7 eggs from 14 hens. My DH asked " why they all can't lay everyday?"
I laughed and told him - wait till Fall when they all molt and stop laying all together for a couple months. So - His GRAND IDEA is that we should butcher them when they have pulled all their own feathers out. He really hated plucking the few meat birds and roos last Fall.
I told him I didn't think the meat was as good because of moulting but maybe he's right??? I'm laughing but, please tell me who's right? I apologize if I should have put this in another forum but I thought Meat Birds ETC was the right place. Please help me tell him he's wrong LOL

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I don't think that moulting will affect the taste of the meat, but neither is it an assurance of easier plucking. While they do shed a good number of feathers, it's only from certain places, not all over. And often they'll be growing in new feathers at the same time, pinfeathers which are like hedgehog quills, and much harder to remove.

Many folks do not find hand-plucking to be a chore, especially once they learn to get a good scald on their birds. Or they build a mechanical plucker.

 

[fried green eggs]

Thank You for the reply. We don't really want to butcher good laying hens just cause they are off for couple months. We did use a scalding pot and I didn't think plucking was that bad and we got faster after the first couple we did but, he hated it. I'm guessing a plucker is in our future.
Thanks again.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'd cull any poor layers but generally you've already grown out good layers and it seems a waste to process all of them as they've a good 2 more years of laying ahead. Also the tenderness of meat wouldn't seem worth it. That would be a lot of stew birds.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

yes, I second everything sunnyside had to say If your husband wants some super layers get some hatchery quality whites.

 

[fried green eggs]

Thanks for the replies. I just ordered H/VH egg layer chicks that will get here the end of March. They should be laying by the time our other girls need to moult and have some time off. We are even building another coop for them this Spring. I'm hoping for good weather so, the chicks get here in good shape