Red Laced Cornish X and project talk (pics p. 8)

[SteveH]

Quote:
Schlecht. They weren't bad birds, but certainly did not look like the breed's SOP, especially the males. [The males were very upright in stance and on longer legs, while the females did look like a bit too slenderly built Cornish, some even with a descent WLR pattern. I think they now have a pic of their own birds on their site.]

 

[SteveH]

Hey Al, use this link, you're Hulk has become a symbol for White Cornish.
http://www.google.com/search?tbm=is...v=2&aq=2m&aqi=g1g-m2&aql=&oq=cornish+chickens

 

[Minniechickmama]

Quote:
Are you saying you're sorry you culled them? I was very disappointed in the carcass of my best WLRC male at 6 months; only marginally more meat than a same age EE. The drums on both, however, were longer than CX, the meat darker colored, and had much more flavor.

I did not regret getting rid of them. They had a wing issue and they weren't up to snuff, so I didn't want them around. They dressed out nice and I am glad I put them in my freezer rather than someone else's. I can now compare them with the CRXs I had butchered too.

BTW, I butchered my first bird today. I did the shortcut and just pulled the skin off instead of plucking. She had gone down a few days before the rest went to butcher. I told my son to put her in the truck, and he set her down next to it. I have been feeding her in a cage and keeping her moved around and finally decided I better do something and thought she would be good to try out my hand at gutting at least. It wasn't so bad, not even 10-minutes to get her done. She was small, probably 2-2 1/2 pounds since she has been atrophying for a few days from lack of activity and eating well. I fed her, she just didn't eat. I considered myself lucky since she was the closest I came to losing any when everyone else had them dropping like flies about 3 weeks ago.

I now have my DC roo that has just been a jerk and has chased my daughter too many times. I caught him charging after her from across our very big chicken yard the other day and decided as soon as I have enough time to catch him and do the deed, he is going to be BBQ birdie. I don't need that crap out here.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Steve : How did you recognize that was the Hulk ?? Wish they coulda chose a better pic LOL
And they didn't even send me a check for his photo rights, Didn't they know I was his agent, Oh well maybe next time.

AL

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Steve : How did you recognize that was the Hulk ?? Wish they coulda chose a better pic LOL
And they didn't even send me a check for his photo rights, Didn't they know I was his agent, Oh well maybe next time.

AL

It wasn't hard AL, not only have I looked at that pic before on this thread, Google links it right back here anyway. Don't let it go to your head though, he follows behind bantam Cornish from MyPetChicken and Cackle.

 

[SteveH]

Quote:
Are you saying you're sorry you culled them? I was very disappointed in the carcass of my best WLRC male at 6 months; only marginally more meat than a same age EE. The drums on both, however, were longer than CX, the meat darker colored, and had much more flavor.

I did not regret getting rid of them. They had a wing issue and they weren't up to snuff, so I didn't want them around. They dressed out nice and I am glad I put them in my freezer rather than someone else's. I can now compare them with the CRXs I had butchered too.

BTW, I butchered my first bird today. I did the shortcut and just pulled the skin off instead of plucking. She had gone down a few days before the rest went to butcher. I told my son to put her in the truck, and he set her down next to it. I have been feeding her in a cage and keeping her moved around and finally decided I better do something and thought she would be good to try out my hand at gutting at least. It wasn't so bad, not even 10-minutes to get her done. She was small, probably 2-2 1/2 pounds since she has been atrophying for a few days from lack of activity and eating well. I fed her, she just didn't eat. I considered myself lucky since she was the closest I came to losing any when everyone else had them dropping like flies about 3 weeks ago.

I now have my DC roo that has just been a jerk and has chased my daughter too many times. I caught him charging after her from across our very big chicken yard the other day and decided as soon as I have enough time to catch him and do the deed, he is going to be BBQ birdie. I don't need that crap out here.

Congrats! I dressed all my own culls last year, but hoping to not do many more, too many aches and pains. It was good to find out I can still do it, just in case, but the local Amish supposedly are low enough in price that it isn't worth the hassle of me setting up a scalder and cooling tank. Like you, in a pinch, I can skin, fillet the breasts, cut off the quarters, but then feed the rest to my dogs...................... takes only a couple of minutes...................... and don't even have to gut them, though I did on all but a pen death last year, and the dogs got all of that one. [I never let my dogs have a bird still in feathers, but they love skinned heads, backs, shanks and feet, etc..]

 

[Totalcolour]

Ok everyone, need some input here. I know that "homegrown" chickens are not as tender as those commercial birds raised in pens; so how do all of you cook yours? I love a nice crispy skin, but don't want "shoe-leather" tough meat. I did eat a little cockerel a few weeks back and he wasn't bad, but he was very young and not out in gen. pop. for more than a few days, so didn't have time to harden those leg/breast muscles.

So, what is the best age to cull, and what about "aging", and cooking methods? To brine or not?

thanks a bunch

 

[A.T. Hagan]

A.T. Hagan :

Quote:
How do the DCs from Sand's look? Pics?

This is my first time with Cornish so I am not a good judge of the breed yet. So far however I like them right well. They are chunky, solid birds. Too young yet to tell much more. From looking at photos of DC show bred birds mine have too much leg length, but that is part of why I went with Steve's since I want them to still be able to mate naturally.

My only complaint with them so far is they are flighty in nature like Leghorns, but I don't know if that is a breed characteristic or just in this strain.​

I'm happy to report that flightiness problem is disappearing. Once I moved them into a growout pen with some turkeys they started to calm down. Now I just have to be careful not to step on them because the silly things will sometimes run under my feet.

 

[kfacres]

Quote:
that's a tough, tricky situation, catch 22 if you get my drift..

the quicker you butcher, the more tender they are..

the later you butcher, the more musclular they are...

for me personally, the most desireable time to butcher is when I get tired of them being on the feed bill, and I decide they no longer have a place in the pen of "prospective breeders".

We do not pluck any roosters, pullets, or dual purpose birds... they all get skinned.

The only birds we pluck are the CX, and of course they get butchered at 8 weeks or so..

I have three young cockerals right now that are about 2.5 weeks away from kill date. One is hatched in April (18 weeks), the other two are the middle of May (15 weeks)- I had thought of keeping the oldest one as a breeder bird, and the younger two I actually thought were female-- so all three have been kicked out with my old layer hens for about a month and a half... All three will be transfered to a seperate pen for 2 weeks to be CORN FED- nothing like a good ole CORNFED chicken (or steak).

From my experience, about the time that the young roos start getting their colorful feathers, and swooping tails-- is when it's time to butcher. Maybe this is just my birds, my bloodlines, and my experience-- but that's about my ideal time. My 18 week old bird has just developed his tail within the last month, the two 15 weekers, have not yet- of course I feel they are slow developers, as it was only about 2 weeks ago I thought them to be hens.

When I was living at home, most all of our chicken was crockpot style-- take it for what it's worth... but now that me and my new wife are together, and she loves making her secret fried chicken-- I have a feeling that back to the plucking we go, and back to the CX we hit...

 

[Gold Griffin Chicken Mom]

Quote:
You need to buy a box of baking bags and try them. The turkey bags will be too large. Go with size "large".

The bag causes them to bake while keeping most of the juices in. I like removing the skin and rubbing spices on the outside of the meat and sprinkle some inside the body cavity. I usually use "poultry seasoning", garlic, and black pepper. I also think a cut onion should be put inside. Sometimes carrots and celery accompany the onion(s). It is fine if the extra vegetables spill out the chicken. Just tuck them along side the bird before you tie the bag shut.

Bake according to the bag maker's instructions. I have a hard time cutting the dark meat... because it falls off the bone! This works for turkeys (store bought) and full grown roosters.