Plymouth Rocks as meat birds ?

[Crush]

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I agree.

Juicy, suculant, soft breasts. Yummy.

I really dislike tough and stingy breasts.

 

[Crush]

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I would just get the Cornish Giants/Cornish X Rock/ Cornish Cross/Cornish X

 

[DougD]

At 18-22 weeks are they tough at all? My main concern is toughness - that other roo I butchered was unbelievably tough, LOL. Had good flavor, but too chewy to eat.

I actually haven't tried purebread rocks yet. We have allways crossed them with Orpingtons etc. Those are fine, as are our Ameraucanas.
I wouldn't think any other heritage breed would be much different. They shouldn't get tough or stringy until they start to develop spurs.
I don't usually go by exact age, more by appearance. (When they look close to full size.)​

 

[Lee]

I just have to ask, since Plymouth Rocks covers several varities, which one are you referring to?

 

[dancingbear]

I've raised purebred white rocks for meat, alongside some Cornish X's. The rocks dressed out at about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs., the X's were all over 5 lbs., at 8 weeks old. So, I'd suggest getting some rock pullets, and breeding them with a standard Cornish roo, not the other way around. I'd read from others who've done this that it works better with the Cornish roo over whatever breed hen you want to try. This won't result in anything like the broiler X's, but should produce a reasonable meat bird.

I can't say for sure from my own experience, but many have said the barred rocks are meatier than the white ones.

I avoid white birds because I free-range everything, white birds are too easily targeted by predators.

 

[1acrefarm]

I never raised any type of rocks specifically for meat but I had a BR rooster who got aggressive with one of my ducks. He was the best tasting chicken I ever had. I think he was around 27-28 weeks. I may order some straight run barred rocks next spring so I can eat the roos and sale the hens at pol. If I can get my neighbor to let me freerange them on his pasture my feed bill would be very low.

 

[jvls1942]

I was not going to post any more tonight but I cannot help myself..

I have always found the female of any animal or bird species to be more tender and just as tasty as I would want..

sell your roosters and butcher your hens.. If you freeze them whole, the hens fit into the freezer bags much better with their shorter legs..

shoot for 4 pound birds and cook two or more if you need more for a meal.. remember there are also more drumsticks using this method..

If you need 8 pound or more birds, butcher a young turkey..

and as far as free ranging, raise geese.. on a good grass you do not have to feed them
hardly at all,...... butcher a VERY young goose and you will never want to go back to chicken..

another thing,, If you are raising
your own chickens and buying all or most of your feed, you are losing money no matter how you slice it.. You are getting quality meat and you know what you are eating.. that is what you are paying for..
unless you are processing large amounts of birds to sell , what difference does it make??

there is no bottom line..

...jiminwisc..........