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

[Momagain1]

Spin-off of the TSC thread:
Hubby said I can only get 2 more chicks..due to space in the coop..errr..lack of...

I said BUT its not completely built yet...he said NO NO NO lol...
he said unless I plan on butchering some int he fall...do not get more...

humph...
I told him "But I dont have any white egg layerssssssss" thats how I got him
to agree to 2 more..as long as they are white layers...

Roos; most are getting butchered in the fall...he only wants one roo for now..

That being said; stupid question time:

Can all chickens be used for meat?? obviously not the ones that have been laying for years..they'd be tough
but the roos...any can be used right? I dont have to have a specific meat type one right??

sorry for the REALLY stupid question..

ETA: look in siggy line for the types of chickens I have..IF that makes any difference!

 

[ChooksChick]

Not stupid...it's not like we are hard-wired to know these things!

I have a lovely T-Fal pressure cooker pot that is capable of making any chicken tender, whole even, in 30 minutes.

All chickens can be eaten, and I think 22 weeks or less yields the tenderest meat in dual-purpose. That being said, we really don't eat it much, so perhaps someone else will contribute!

 

[Momagain1]

ok; I read somewhere that 9 months to 1 yr is the best time to butcher...not sure...

and I dont know if my breeds I have are dual purpose or not...but I'm still trying to learn what
each breed looks like..I wish they'd have come with a "heres your sign" signage lol..

 

[Ema]

hahahahaha..no question is stupid....

most people buy meat chickens just for that and dual purpose for either or. but I don't see why any chickens couldn't be turned into meat. Ya older layers will be tough but that is why you stew them or make soup form them. I am sure its the same for roos, after all they are chickens too and we all know chicken is so yummy

now I haven't ventured into the meat chicken thing quite yet, soon though I already placed my order so they will be here mid April...

so If I am wrong I am sure someone much more wiser than me will Chime in

 

[gryeyes]

It is common practice for many chicken-keeping folks to raise dual purpose chickens for eggs and use the roosters for meat. My chiropractor has offered to take any young roosters off my hands, because she knows I am incubating and hatching without regard for sanity. She raises dual purpose chickens for their eggs and meaties for sale. Dual purpose roosters are an opportunity for her to eat really tasty NON-STORE chickens.

However, I haven't delivered any of my roosters to her. We still talk chickens all the time.

This is a very handy chicken breed chart which will give you LOTS of information about most of the breeds you might consider:
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Momagain1]

I looked up the australorps and I dont see where it says dual purpose with that link..I must be missing it...I mean I dont see it on any breed so far...

ETA: I found one!!!

 

[Raven81]

my answer to the question is no you dont need a specific meat breed to eat them a meat breed is bred for the meat but the is nothing wrong with eating any breed i personally have roasted plymouth rocks, 5 eggs under a broody they were all roos so all went to freezer camp.
as far as older birds there are some good recipes out there that will be more suited for an older bird.

 

[Gypsy07]

Heck, you can eat just about any creature that's been dispatched and gutted properly.
Rats even, if you were hungry enough...

 

[kfchickenlady]

I couldnt eat a silkie, black skin and meat

but you can taste the difference with home grown chicken! Just dont expect the carcass to look like what youre used to seeing in the store.

 

[cubalaya]

cockerels before 24 weeks, hens when they are done laying. i have no problem doing the cockerels but cant bring myself to kill the old hens after they have been here for that long.