My thoughts on red broilers.

[twigcrafter]

I just processed 6, 14 week old RBers and They were full of fat. They were very large roosters and They looked fine and healthy but boy were they fat. I did Cornish crosses a couple weeks ago and they had very little fat compared to these.

Also they were much harder to pluck with my plucker. I'm still struggling with my scald temps. But a lot of the feathers needed to be hand pulled. I hate plucking.

The carcass size is big but not as plump as the crosses. I'm not planning on roasting them whole. I can't wait to fry some up. I hear they taste better than the whites.

I liked how healthy and clean they were but unless they taste better, I might stick to the whites. Less feed, less fat, lots of meat.

 

[Kiki]

Did you feed them all the same food?


Where are your pictures!!

 

[twigcrafter]

Yes The same food. They shared a pen, well until 2 weeks ago. Sorry no pictures this time. I can take pictures tomorrow of how they look before I cut them into parts. I don't have a working scale (thank goodness) so I have no idea on their weight or mine lol.

 

[twigcrafter]

oops I just edited my post. The chickens were 14 weeks. not 10 weeks.

 

[twigcrafter]

I just finished shrink bagging them. I still have all the backs to freeze, well I did make soup with one of them. Tasted like chicken. lol.
Here are some pictures. I didn't take very many.

It was such a pain in the neck pulling out all those dark pieces of feathers. Ugh. They looked like black heads. I'm still not sure I got them all. It was gross. I fill soda bottles and milk jugs with water and freeze to save money on ice.

 

[Folly's place]

I just finished with my Freedom Rangers from the Penn. hatchery. Twelve cockerels processed at 9.5 weeks of age, average dressed wt. 5.5 lbs. Eighteen pullets processed at 11 weeks of age, average dressed wt. 4.8 lbs. Not overly fat, looking great! I feed Flock Raiser throughout, not cheapest choice, but that's what I do, and free range. About 2.9 lbs. of feed per lb. of carcass weight. I DID NOT process them at home, so total cost including everything $2.42/ lb. dressed wt. Definitely not cheap, but delicious! Could have been less expensive if less expensively fed, and home butchered. Mary

 

[Maeschak]

I just finished with my Freedom Rangers from the Penn. hatchery. Twelve cockerels processed at 9.5 weeks of age, average dressed wt. 5.5 lbs. Eighteen pullets processed at 11 weeks of age, average dressed wt. 4.8 lbs. Not overly fat, looking great! I feed Flock Raiser throughout, not cheapest choice, but that's what I do, and free range. About 2.9 lbs. of feed per lb. of carcass weight. I DID NOT process them at home, so total cost including everything $2.42/ lb. dressed wt. Definitely not cheap, but delicious! Could have been less expensive if less expensively fed, and home butchered. Mary

Thanks for the info!

 

[Folly's place]

The Cornishx birds grow much faster, so cost less to raise. BUT they won't have as much flavor, and will have way more health issues. If limiting their feed, slightly slower growth, and maybe fewer deaths from heart failure, and severe joint problems. I find it difficult to see them just sit there rather than being able to act like more normal chickens. My current batch of FRs had one chick smothered in the brooder, and one pullet with pendulous crop, otherwise no health issues, and unrestricted feeding. Mary