Really stupid question inside...so dumb I wont put it in subject lol.

[Dutchess]

Quote:

Welcome to BYC! Yes, meat birds are quick to raise, but I prefer concentrating on the hens and eggs. I had a small group of rhode island reds to start. I feel it is better to go slow, especially if you don't have the experience. When you become familiar with all the little things that chickens require and common problems encountered, then get the meat birds. Just my opinion!

Enjoy BYC! You'll learn more than you expected here, and the people are so friendly, willing to help in any way they can!

Above all, enjoy your chickies!!!

 

[nanawendy]

Hi I'm a little late coming to the party butttt .... Storey's Poultry Breeds ( a great ref book) says that Australorp's are a dual purpose bird. My neighbor hatches about 50 eggs each year from her BR flock.
She replaces some for layers and the rest go into the freezer for her fam. Last year they got too big so she is doing the deed @ 6 weeks. I thought that was pretty young, but they like them to weigh about 5 lbs ???? They are farmers from way back so my hats off to them.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Quote:
That is very young for a dual purpose bird. Sounds like they are also raising cornish-rock crosses. They (cornishX) grow very, very quickly and are usually processed by 8 weeks.

 

[cointoss]

You can eat any chicken -- the meat ones just tend to have larger breasts and grow faster, while the layers tend to lay more eggs, more often.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Quote:
Old hens and mature roos eat just fine. Its all in how you prepare in.
We hang the gutted birds, with the feathers still on, in 40 degree temps for 6 days.
They will be fully tenderized and properly aged. They have to be dry plucked if hung.
The other option, is to stew them slowly in the crockpot.
Old roosters are best hung though.
There is a thread around here on the process that I did last year.

 

[sawmane1]

Quote:
I WANT ONE!

 

[chickpeaz]

Not a dumb question at all! With all the talk of meat birds and dual-purpose birds, it's easy to get sucked into the mentality that some birds are edible and some are not. But we always butcher our excess males, all varieties, even the exotics (we have all big breeds, no banties). Like others have said, some are meatier than others, but they all taste like chicken.

I've had a few that were so lean it took 3 birds to get enough meat for a pot of chicken and dumplings, but it lets me keep hatching, knowing that I'll never be overrun with roosters. We usually butcher our cockerels between 5-6 mos. I have no idea if that's the best time, but typically it's when they start to get mean and it's getting on towards autumn. I'm not going to house a mean bird all winter so that's when they go off to the poultry processor.

 

[nanawendy]

Yummmmm chicken and dumplings... coldish day~ need to think about dinner~ chicken and dumplings~ BINGO

 

[LittleLady98]

I've heard of folks who cook and eat their extra roos...

 

[LittleLady98]

I've heard of folks who cook and eat their extra roos...