Questions on eating normal DP birds

[plantguy90]

I have never eaten my birds, yet, but was planning to. How different do the meats get depending on age of the bird? A local breeder seemed like she eats her layers after they have stopped producing, and I was wondering how tough the meat would be then? My mother-in-law is a farmer from the old country and she actually likes a chewier bird, compared to the fatty things I love from the plastic packages. Do they ever get to an age where the meat is not harvestable?

 

[dancingbear]

You just have to learn to cook it correctly, and it will get tender. It might take awhile, but if you let it cook long enough, it will get tender.

You might want to get a pressure cooker, or use a crock pot. Do a BYC search on crock pot cooking, and another on pressure cooking, you should find a lot of info.

 

[backintime]

I processed my various breeds of brown egg layers at 18 mos. of age and was disappointed in the toughness of the meat. I tried my pressure cooker, crock pot, and other methods, with no noticeable difference.

I recently happened upon an article on cooking the "heritage breeds" which recommends NEVER letting the water come to a boil, but rather simmering just below a boil for several hours. The article said that if the water boils, the meat fibers will toughen, and even if you cook it long enough to have it fall off the bone, the individual fibers will still be tough. I'm anxious to try this method and hope it helps you, too.

 

[beerman]

Meat should never ever be boiled. That is how most people mess up corned beef or stewed chicken. Once it it is boiled it gets tough.
Been a professional chef for almost 20 years.
Brian

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
Did you set the crock pot on high or low, and how long did you let it cook? I let mine go until the meat starts to fall off the bones, and setting it on low, works better than high.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

It really depends on the piece of meat, Brian gives good advice. If you take boneless skinless breast fillets seasoned lightly and cooked quick and hot on a charcoal grill they are tender as can be - if you over cook them they turn to shoe leather. From the same bird, cook a leg 1/4 the same way = shoe leather. Debone the thigh and grill it nice and tender again. There are just as many methods to cook the different cuts as there are cuts. What works for one isn't always good for another.

Steve

 

[uhuh555]

We have a large steamer that will hold a couple of birds, once the water starts to boil turn it to medium low tempature and steam them until the meat falls off the bone (about 3-3 1/2 hours). Very tender.

 

[plantguy90]

When do most hens stop producing eggs? only 18 months? wow if they dont lay until 6 onths, you only get one good year of production?

 

[backintime]

Hens will continue to lay for many years, though after year 2, production drops about 20% per year afterwards. I culled my flock for other reasons.

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
I have hens that still lay several eggs a week well past 5 years old. I had a Cherry Egger (I think she was a Cherry Egger, she was a big red hen, looked just like the pics of those) that still laid about 5 eggs a week when she was over 8 years old. She died on the nest box, while laying an egg.

Who the heck told you they quit at 18 months? That's about when most have their first molt, and they'll stop (or slow way down) while they molt, but then they resume laying after all the nice new feathers grow back in.