Raising heritage meat birds

[Redhead Rae]

Thanks for the replies. Just to note, we boil (as in stew) our birds almost all the time, not broil. So having a more mature bird isn't an issue, but feeding them is a consideration.I was planning on weighing the birds at 4, 8, and 12 weeks to see who is gaining weight the fastest. I take your meaning about killing the scrawny ones first. That isn't something we want to breed for.

 

[Beekissed]

Here's a suggestion....for better feed conversion and a finer texture on the meat, you might want to try Plymouth White Rocks instead of the BOs. I've had them both and the WRs beat the BOs hands down on all things to do with food production and they are hardier stock, no matter from whence they are sourced. They are better foragers, fatten well on pasture, are gentle and calm birds both male and female, and feed thrifty.

Another suggestion...since you usually eat them in soups, why not can them each year instead of freezing? It's a better option for producing a juicier, ready to eat product and doesn't depend on the power being on to keep them preserved.

Suggestion three....if you want them to forage more and not depend on bagged feeds so much, start them out on pasture by 2-3 wks old, preferably with a broody mama, and they will learn to look there first for their tucker. If you start them out penned to bagged feeds when they are young, they will always look there first for food and won't forage quite so well.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Dorking are considered very good table birds. Fine texture and balanced carcass. New Hampshire can't be beat with fast maturity and egg laying combo for dual purpose. Standard bred Cornish can't be beat for double thick breast and carcass for a self sustaining meat bird but give few eggs. In all cases standard bred birds from a breeder will outperform hatchery stock for meat purpose. Hatchery birds are bred for maximum egg production.

Simmer old birds never boil. Crock pots are an easier way to not accidently boil and toughen the meat.

 

[Redhead Rae]

Well, we have BOs coming in the next week or so from a hatchery, so that is what we will be working with to start off. We may consider doing some freedom ranger chicks this summer for meat since we will only have our cull birds this year. I like the idea of the FR chicks a bit better than standard cornish X birds since they can be grown to sexual maturity without as many of the bone/heart issues. I like the canning idea. I might look into that.

 

[TinyBirds]

Here's a suggestion....for better feed conversion and a finer texture on the meat, you might want to try Plymouth White Rocks instead of the BOs. I've had them both and the WRs beat the BOs hands down on all things to do with food production and they are hardier stock, no matter from whence they are sourced. They are better foragers, fatten well on pasture, are gentle and calm birds both male and female, and feed thrifty.

Another suggestion...since you usually eat them in soups, why not can them each year instead of freezing? It's a better option for producing a juicier, ready to eat product and doesn't depend on the power being on to keep them preserved.

Suggestion three....if you want them to forage more and not depend on bagged feeds so much, start them out on pasture by 2-3 wks old, preferably with a broody mama, and they will learn to look there first for their tucker. If you start them out penned to bagged feeds when they are young, they will always look there first for food and won't forage quite so well.

Thanks so much for all your advice. It is helpful to us all trying to figure out what to do for sustainability. I keep hearing about the white rock other places too (like from ms. homestead lady that lives near appalachia's homestead on youtube), and one thread had weights for them compared to standard cornish and delaware breeds at 13 weeks old and they won by a pound. I think we'll have to give the white rocks a try!

 

[Dr.Dale]

Slaughter at different ages. If you want to grill a dual purpose bird it's got to be butchered before 15 weeks and my cap is 14 weeks age. ... The rest grow out to roasting age and cull more.

This is great, thanks. Do you have a rough guide of what ages I should look to slaughter for which cooking techniques?

I am planning on eating some of our dual-purpose birds this year, but I am worried that I will misjudge the slaughter time and then be dissatisfied with the result.

 

[Molpet]

This is great, thanks. Do you have a rough guide of what ages I should look to slaughter for which cooking techniques?

I am planning on eating some of our dual-purpose birds this year, but I am worried that I will misjudge the slaughter time and then be dissatisfied with the result.

https://livestockconservancy.org/images/uploads/docs/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf
"Historic poultry breeds are, in contrast, very flexible as to butchering age. Any historic pure breed can be butchered between 7 to 12 weeks for use as broilers, 12 to 20 weeks for use as fryers, 5 to 12 months for roasters, and over 12 months for stewing fowl. "