Processing age

[Coopscraft]

mrs coopscraft has indicated we should get brahmas for the table. I read they are large but slow growing compared to some heritage breeds. Does anyone have experience raising these for the table? What should I expect to butcher them and how well do they fill out? There’s no need to compare them to Cornish x as the alternative would more likely be a white Plymouth Rock or dark Cornish.

 

[Skippersnh]

i had brahmas and they were lighter in weight than my other birds of there size for some reason

 

[FortCluck]

20-24 weeks. I have BJG crosses I'm waiting until 20-24 weeks. Make sure you rest them 2-5 days in the fridge too, it'll make the meat even better.

 

[Coopscraft]

20-24 weeks. I have BJG crosses I'm waiting until 20-24 weeks. Make sure you rest them 2-5 days in the fridge too, it'll make the meat even better.

BJG?

 

[FortCluck]

Black jersey giant

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Definitely go with something else that is faster to mature. Look for a breeder to obtain stock as hatchery birds are not bred for the table rather for egg laying resulting in small, thin, poor table birds.

Cornish are indeed a great choice but they don't lay many eggs with majority laid Spring. Which works as you'd hatch and grow all for table birds and few breeders. New Hampshire, Buckeye or Wyandotte are better choices for dual purpose birds than Plymouth Rock. I raise Plymouth Rock.

Best age for processing dual purpose birds for broilers is 12 to 14 weeks. It's a good time to cull out a bunch of cockerels and grill them up. This will save on your feed bill as the little gain of meat from this age on is at 1/4-1/3 lbs feed per day per bird. Fryer age is up to 18 weeks old and the coveted (here on BYC) Roasting age is best around 24 weeks.

Note the age is related to cooking method. Older birds can not be broiled. Must use a slower, moist cooking method the older a bird is.

 

[Coopscraft]

Definitely go with something else that is faster to mature. Look for a breeder to obtain stock as hatchery birds are not bred for the table rather for egg laying resulting in small, thin, poor table birds.

Cornish are indeed a great choice but they don't lay many eggs with majority laid Spring. Which works as you'd hatch and grow all for table birds and few breeders. New Hampshire, Buckeye or Wyandotte are better choices for dual purpose birds than Plymouth Rock. I raise Plymouth Rock.

Best age for processing dual purpose birds for broilers is 12 to 14 weeks. It's a good time to cull out a bunch of cockerels and grill them up. This will save on your feed bill as the little gain of meat from this age on is at 1/4-1/3 lbs feed per day per bird. Fryer age is up to 18 weeks old and the coveted (here on BYC) Roasting age is best around 24 weeks.

Note the age is related to cooking method. Older birds can not be broiled. Must use a slower, moist cooking method the older a bird is.

How would it work to use a dark Cornish rooster with a handful of brahma hens? What quality meat bird would I get at the 14-24 week age?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Why use Brahma at all? The only advantage of use would be hybrid vigor and resulting pullets ability to lay better than Cornish. But then why get Cornish if you don't keep a Cornish flock? It seems self defeating to get a quality meat bird to then attempt to make a dual purpose bird with better meat quality.

If Cornish is on your mind check this thread out:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...lock-for-meat-and-more.1069243/#post-16258219

Fat Daddy gives strong argument to keep a Cornish flock for meat. It's imperative to start with quality stock and not attempt this sort of thing with hatchery birds. He provides some weights at different ages.