Pro's and Con's, Breed Choice

[Natalijaasbj]

both ways are great to go. although the "sticky" got the meat very "soft", not chewy at all. After I made the whole chicken in the slow cooker, I DID throw skin and bones back in the crock pot and made the tastiest stock EVER.

 

[SunnySkies]

Sticky chicken is good....I've done that too. Low, slow, moist is the way to cook a DP....they just don't have tender meat if you cook that bird at a high heat. The fibers seize up and make it inedible.

Yeah, it would be better if FR could reproduce, but what I've been doing is raising some FR/Redbro type birds and processing mean or cull roosters. Depending on how I'm cooking depends on what I get out of the freezer. If I have time to cook all day, I will cook a rooster, if I'm cooking for a big meal (my FR averaged 7 lbs, way bigger than my DP roosters of any breed I have get) or need to cook fast and hot, I get out a FR. If it ever came to where I couldn't get FR, well, I would stop grilling or frying or roasting chicken.

 

[Natalijaasbj]

Sticky chicken is good....I've done that too. Low, slow, moist is the way to cook a DP....they just don't have tender meat if you cook that bird at a high heat. The fibers seize up and make it inedible.

Yeah, it would be better if FR could reproduce, but what I've been doing is raising some FR/Redbro type birds and processing mean or cull roosters. Depending on how I'm cooking depends on what I get out of the freezer. If I have time to cook all day, I will cook a rooster, if I'm cooking for a big meal (my FR averaged 7 lbs, way bigger than my DP roosters of any breed I have get) or need to cook fast and hot, I get out a FR. If it ever came to where I couldn't get FR, well, I would stop grilling or frying or roasting chicken.

So I far as I understood, you process the mean FR/Redbro roos, but not pullets? Do you mean that the pullets have been used for eggs? Can they actually lay?
Thank you

 

[SunnySkies]

So I far as I understood, you process the mean FR/Redbro roos, but not pullets? Do you mean that the pullets have been used for eggs? Can they actually lay?
Thank you

No. I process all FR/Redbro birds, unless they are small. I had two pullets that really weren't worth the work of processing. So I kept them, and yes, they are about to lay. IF they do Ok -- they have trouble laying, apparently, because they are heavy -- I want to cross them with a large rooster I have. HOWEVER, thy are hybrids. This means their offspring will NOT resemble them. But I might be able to get a mixed breed bird that is tender and meatier at a younger age than a cull rooster at 3-6 months. I find the DP roosters not hardly worth my time for my large family...just not enough meat. I butcher my cull roosters of all breeds (I raise SFH, but I also have Marans, mixes, EE and various bantams) and in order to get them to a point where they are worth eating, they just are not a grilling bird. Crockpot or braised is the only way to go then.

Any chicks I get will NOT be the same as the adult FR. Even crossing two FR won't result in an identical chick. People have tried. You can read about such experiences here.

But even if you buy 10-30 FR chicks a year, it's totally worth it. I raised my year's meat for $1.20/lb. that included the chicks and their shipping, feed and equipment. Now that I have all needed equipment, my cost should drop, and I also realized as I was processing we had gone a week too long...they were too fat, and that meant I wasted feed. Next time, we process sooner.

Of course if the bottom dropped out of the world, this wouldn't be sustainable or possible. But while it is, why shouldn't I provide my family with delicious, tender, juicy free range, organic chicken we can grill or fry or roast or whatever whenever I want?

 

[BCMaraniac]

No. I process all FR/Redbro birds, unless they are small. I had two pullets that really weren't worth the work of processing. So I kept them, and yes, they are about to lay. IF they do Ok -- they have trouble laying, apparently, because they are heavy -- I want to cross them with a large rooster I have. HOWEVER, thy are hybrids. This means their offspring will NOT resemble them. But I might be able to get a mixed breed bird that is tender and meatier at a younger age than a cull rooster at 3-6 months. I find the DP roosters not hardly worth my time for my large family...just not enough meat. I butcher my cull roosters of all breeds (I raise SFH, but I also have Marans, mixes, EE and various bantams) and in order to get them to a point where they are worth eating, they just are not a grilling bird. Crockpot or braised is the only way to go then.

Any chicks I get will NOT be the same as the adult FR. Even crossing two FR won't result in an identical chick. People have tried. You can read about such experiences here.

But even if you buy 10-30 FR chicks a year, it's totally worth it. I raised my year's meat for $1.20/lb. that included the chicks and their shipping, feed and equipment. Now that I have all needed equipment, my cost should drop, and I also realized as I was processing we had gone a week too long...they were too fat, and that meant I wasted feed. Next time, we process sooner.

Of course if the bottom dropped out of the world, this wouldn't be sustainable or possible. But while it is, why shouldn't I provide my family with delicious, tender, juicy free range, organic chicken we can grill or fry or roast or whatever whenever I want?

I raised Red Rangers from McMurrays this year, and through a series of events ended up not butchering the last 4 pullets, and they are laying. They are big girls, but don't appear to have trouble laying. I have even gotten double yolkers. I haven't incubated any eggs or anything, but they are fertile, having been with a rooster.

 

[SunnySkies]

I raised Red Rangers from McMurrays this year, and through a series of events ended up not butchering the last 4 pullets, and they are laying.  They are big girls, but don't appear to have trouble laying.  I have even gotten double yolkers.    I haven't incubated any eggs or anything, but they are fertile, having been with a rooster.

I've heard several stories about this. 1) they do fine for a while then crash and burn due to excessive fat internally, 2) they do Ok laying but simply get so heavy they start having trouble walking around, 3) they seem fine and lay normally but drop dead suddenly 4), they do ok but stop laying early, and 5) they do Ok. Their chicks won't resemble them, but it's all an experiment.

IIRC double yolks are seen more often in heavy breed hens.

ETA: direct from the Freedom Ranger website


I am looking to rebuild a dual purpose flock for both meat and eggs. You market your freedom ranger chicken as a broiler, but they look quite a bit like a number of standard "heavy breed" chickens. Would they be suitable as a laying chicken as well, or as with more conventional broiler breeds would it be unwise to keep them to peak laying age?
They will work fine as a dual purpose chicken if you do not allow them to get too heavy for laying.


IME, keeping their weight under control is a little difficult I have one that looks good, but the other may end up Christmas dinner if she gets any heavier.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I've heard several stories about this. 1) they do fine for a while then crash and burn due to excessive fat internally, 2) they do Ok laying but simply get so heavy they start having trouble walking around, 3) they seem fine and lay normally but drop dead suddenly 4), they do ok but stop laying early, and 5) they do Ok. Their chicks won't resemble them, but it's all an experiment.

IIRC double yolks are seen more often in heavy breed hens.

ETA: direct from the Freedom Ranger website


I am looking to rebuild a dual purpose flock for both meat and eggs. You market your freedom ranger chicken as a broiler, but they look quite a bit like a number of standard "heavy breed" chickens. Would they be suitable as a laying chicken as well, or as with more conventional broiler breeds would it be unwise to keep them to peak laying age?
They will work fine as a dual purpose chicken if you do not allow them to get too heavy for laying.


IME, keeping their weight under control is a little difficult

I have one that looks good, but the other may end up Christmas dinner if she gets any heavier.

I have no intention of breeding mine, just haven't gotten around to butchering. Will make some good stewing hens, I would think.

 

[SunnySkies]

I suspect that may happen to mine in the end. I do hear they stay more tender than a same-age hen of any other breed though, so it might not mean the stew pot.

 

[BCMaraniac]

I suspect that may happen to mine in the end. I do hear they stay more tender than a same-age hen of any other breed though, so it might not mean the stew pot.

I really need to butcher them. They are housed with my American Bresse because they grew up together, and will be 30 weeks old this week. Somehow I don't think I want to breed them to my Bresse.....but I sure dread catching them because my roo is very protective.....safety glasses, long sleeves, gloves, etc will be the attire for that adventure

 

[Natalijaasbj]

Sunnyskies!
Are the FREEDOM RANGERS are SO MUCH MORE DELICIOUS than Costco organic birds (with no feeding them and sheltering and raising)?
I just get curious - if they are SO superior then it might be worth the effort. But if not - why bother? Thank you for all that you share here.