question about meaties and growing them out

[ShelleyJ]

Even after reading about meaties I'm confused. I want to split an order of meaties with a couple of family members so we're looking at buying 150 or so chicks. We are looking at all males and I'm wondering if that is going to be a mistake. Will they start behaving as roosters before they are large enough to send to freezer camp? My theory on the males is that they grow larger quicker, which means I won't have to keep them as long, they are less expensive to start with. I'm also seeing that some people suggest cooling the birds for a day after processing to stop the rigor. Others don't think this is a problem.

So I feel like my head is whipping back and forth and I'm getting a headache!

Can anyone clarify these points for me? I'd really appreciate anyone who has been there and done this. Thanks,

 

[Coralietg]

I am on my first time with meaties, so there are people here way more experienced than me.

By the time the male meatie would get to crowing age, it would have been long processed. From the 4 week old chicks we have at the moment, the males are definitely larger.

Chilling them in the fridge for a couple of days is to let the rigor mortis leave from the muscles, leaving the meat tender. Rigor sets in soon after death, and then relaxes out again. Cooking a chicken in rigor is apparently like eating a rubber chicken.

 

[subhanalah]

I am on my first time with meaties, so there are people here way more experienced than me.

By the time the male meatie would get to crowing age, it would have been long processed. From the 4 week old chicks we have at the moment, the males are definitely larger.

Chilling them in the fridge for a couple of days is to let the rigor mortis leave from the muscles, leaving the meat tender. Rigor sets in soon after death, and then relaxes out again. Cooking a chicken in rigor is apparently like eating a rubber chicken.

do you happen to know if the animal has to be "in tact" for the rigor to disperse? Could you just chill the meat after it's been parted up?

 

[ShelleyJ]

This was my thinking as well. Thank you. How fast can the rigor set in do you know? I've processed rabbits and didn't let them sit first and wondered if the type of animal made a difference. I have a lot to learn.

 

[subhanalah]

This was my thinking as well. Thank you. How fast can the rigor set in do you know? I've processed rabbits and didn't let them sit first and wondered if the type of animal made a difference. I have a lot to learn.

that's why I ask, I part up my rabbits as soon as I'm done gutting. Haven't eaten any of them though, so don't know if it makes a difference.
I always read that you chill the meat to make it easier to cut, I find it easier to part them up while still hung up by their hocks.

 

[Coralietg]

do you happen to know if the animal has to be "in tact" for the rigor to disperse? Could you just chill the meat after it's been parted up?

I'm sure it doesn't have to be intact, it just has to rest. Many people part their birds up during the processing. It's the individual muscles that the rigor has to pass through, doesn't make a difference in parts or whole. Same goes for the heart, too.

 

[subhanalah]

I'm sure it doesn't have to be intact, it just has to rest. Many people part their birds up during the processing. It's the individual muscles that the rigor has to pass through, doesn't make a difference in parts or whole. Same goes for the heart, too. 

I guess that's what I'm seeing when I process a rabbit and the loin is still ticking 30 minutes after "the end" and it's already cut up and put in bags.

 

[ShelleyJ]

So I should be good to process them and let them cool for a day and then can or freeze them. I'm not sure what I'll be getting as it's the hatchery choice but all males so I'll process some of the larger ones and let the smaller ones have a few more days so I can spread it out some. I'm going to go with fermenting the feed as well as using worms, maggots and the smaller meal worms. Also thought I'd use some of the fodder trays to cut costs. This will be a learning experience for all us. Although, I have processed rabbits before so I have no doubt I can do this. Still in the planning stages and just trying to get my chicks in a row. Once I'm moved it will be awhile before we have our internet hook up so I'm trying to assemble as much information as I can now. Thanks again for everyone's input.

 

[donrae]

From your posts I"m getting the feeling you're not getting cornish cross, but dual purpose roosters, correct?

In that case, then yes, they'll start crowing before they're prime butcher age. Cornish cross are butchered around 8 weeks, while they're still babies basically and not hit adolescence yet. Dual purpose roosters are processed around 20 weeks, and can start crowing around 3 months on average.

Where are you going to house 150 large fowl birds for 5ish months? You're also talking a ton of feed, maybe not literally but that's a lot of feed.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

With that many birds you may want to think on straight run order. People like this with a lot of birds as it gives them two weekends to butcher all the birds. Males first weekend and females the next or even two weeks later. But if you can rent a plucker then it wont be nearly as much work so all males would be the way to go and get it over with.