Pics of "Before/After" Dual Purpose meat birds?

[aka Rachel]

@western edge, those crosses are from black harco sex link roo over barred rock hen. I'm very happy with the size they grew too. I had the largest one in the pic grow out with a batch of meaties(heavy reds), he was one week older then them, but he matched them each week for size. I had the meaties done at 10 weeks, and probably could have done him at the same time as he didn't seem to grow much after that. Which is cool, cause now I have a benchmark age to butcher those roos, about 12-16 weeks.

@stuck, those birds are still pretty young and although I didn't part them out I'm sure I could have and had all tender bits. The default for me at home is roasting a whole bird which is what I did (yum) I also used one for chicken and dumplings. Not because he was tuff, just cause I wanted chicken and dumplings!

 

[western edge]

These are some of the cull cockerels from my RIR flock. Since I was growing them for breeding purposes I used a lower protein ration causing the to grow a little slower and taking longer to fill out. These are about 18 to 20 weeks and although I did not weight them, I am thinking they dressed at 4 to 5 pounds.

 

[ghulst]

Quote:
I like the way of hanging them. Did you make it?

 

[stuckinthecity]

I thought they were black sex links too!
Oh okay, so at that age, could they have been cut up and put on the grill? Or do you have to have very young birds for that?

And nice cleaned birds, western. I also like the way you hang them...looks like they belong in some amish butcher shop or something the way they look. The only part I see lacking meat, is the wing. Is that right?

 

[booker81]

I have a few threads of different roosters, lemme see if I can find them. I usually get a 3-4lb carcass from a 15-20 week roo, and up to a 5-6lb carcass from older (over 1 year) roos. I've processed birds up to 3 years old, and have no complaints on them - they usually are made into stock, shredded meat, and a pot of chicken dumpling soup. DH really likes chicken dumpling soup, so whenever I get around to pulling one of the oldies out, I always make stock, shredded meat, and soup all at once from the same carcass. For the smaller, younger birds, I usually just roast, sometimes I make stock the next day from the carcass.

I had to laugh - I just had another knee surgery, and am laid up at home. A neighbor kindly brought over food, and one thing was a big container of chicken noodle soup. We had it for dinner, and it tastes like normal store bought, but DH couldn't eat much - he said it didn't have much flavor and taste. Apparently he's gotten spoiled to "old roo" soup and stock

Actually, while typing, I think I have pics loaded, you can look through threads I've started in here for more details.

15 week SLW (he was obnoxious):

After - about 3.5lbs:

Standard sized dutch oven:

I think these two were 17 weeks old. SLW and RIR.

After:

SLW on left, RIR on right, about 3-4lbs. The SLW was meatier, the RIR was smaller and lighter framed (hard to see in the live pic).

These are pickups:

The top ones are older roos, around 8-12 months. They ran about 5lbs. The bottom are younger, I think they are 5-6 month range. Ran about 4lbs. No before pics. Bottom are Barred Rock, top ones are Wyandottes.

This is one of the Wyandottes from above, 8-12 months old. I roasted him in a dutch oven for a few hours on a low heat (275). Turned out DELICIOUS and tender. Huge drummies on him!

 

[Illia]

I don't want to sound rude but those are some really skinny Wyandottes. . .


I'll have some before/after photos in a few minutes. I culled about 10 Black Copper Marans (excellent, very large birds) and 2 pure Ameraucanas. (they're okay)

My personal favorite are Araucanas though. Great amount of breast meat, and great meat ratio at even the young age of 4 months.

 

[booker81]

Oh no, don't worry - they are totally hatchery, TSC specials. Not expecting huge from them, not by a long shot. However, the size is perfect for our family - a 3-5lb bird is all we need, anything over 5lbs really is just too much to bother for me. Besides - the only ones I actually paid for were the first three, which I raised, the rest were free. The ones I raised were on the smaller side, and obnoxious as all getout, which is why they turned to dinner. The others, I picked up and slaughtered the same day - free. Can't beat free!

Folks sell BCM around here, but I can't bring myself to pay that much for them for table fare

 

[western edge]

I like the way of hanging them. Did you make it

It is actually some older processing equipment that I picked up several years ago, along with a monstrous plucker, from an old timer who used to butcher 5 to 6 hundred chickens a year. I hang them to singe the hair right after they are plucked. I will post some pictures soon of the plucker and an old time scalding kettle that I have from when the parents and g parents would butcher hogs years ago. Actually some pretty nice equipment!

 

[Tartannik]

My 18 month old Rooster is just over 13lb just, what do you think he would be once he was plucked and everything??
I am not planning to eat the big man but i have just started eggs under a hen for table birds this year. I have never done it before, although I did do 3 ducks last year and they were the best tasting ducks i ever tasted!

They were also the cutest little duckling i ever saw but one of them tried to drown a silkie and they were all boys so they had to go!!
This thread is really interesting!!
Does everyone do their own killing of the chooks? If so, by what method?

 

[Mervin]

Illia,

I was wondering if you would still load the photos of the BCM roosters. I'm going to try Sussex this spring and it occurred to me that I've never dressed out a white-skinned bird. I'm just curious about it and would like to see your pictures if you have the chance. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.