sad now! cornish x, newbie question

[momoftwinsinwi]

My big cornish X was mixed in with my laying chicks and we kept him only to find out thanks to Silkiechicken that he was in fact a "meat bird" and with the education I got from her culled him at approximately 3 months old. He was "delicious"

and the whole "culling process" wasn't nearly as "bad" as I thought it would be.

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
It might be perfectly safe to do so but I would NOT eat anything that died before I processed it myself.

*shiver*

 

[justusnak]

Personally, if the bird dies, I would not eat it. I have 3 Cornishx, they are 6 months old now. 2 Hens are laying and are fertile from my BO Roos. I just set 7 of thier eggs in the bator on the 13th of OCt. I am thinking we will cull the Roo....he is HUGE. Looks great tho...for being 6 months old! I am guessing....15 pounds( on the foot). Should dress out nice hopeing about 10 pounds. Will let you know....when I get the time to do the deed.

 

[silkiechicken]

I say even though you are trying your best to keep them alive, it might be a great learning experience for you to just butcher them at the proper age and enjoy them for what they have been bred for. You will have the satisfaction that they led a good life and you will have a great meal. Then they won't suffer a heart attack or live their lives over stuffed or always starving. Just what I think.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

That's what I thought but didn't know if there was a certain time they were "ready". I have alot to learn.

 

[silkiechicken]

Oh, they can be "ready" anywhere between about 4-8 weeks, (2-6) lbs depending on how big you want it. Beyond 8 weeks you are really risking them just dying on you. There are always exceptions though.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I would really like to try raising a couple of these birds for meat. From your personal experience, would someone please be willing to tell me the best place to get them, how and what to feed, and how to "do the deed" to get them ready for the table? I have found info online but I don't trust everything I read unless I feel they have experience and there's no one near me that I could ask.

 

[picklespickles]

if you don't know why it died, then i wouldn't eat it. if you saw it happen and know what did it, then it may be okay. you just don't want to eat tainted meat.

to the person with the unintentional meat birds, here's an option. see if you can put up a sign at the feed store and give them away to someone else and then get layers for yourself.

you will just be heartbroken when these get to age. i don't think if you feel so strongly about it that you should process them. but, they will die. they are bred to.

please consider getting some who are layers. they will live a nice long life for you and you will really enjoy raising them and taking care of them.

if you plan to take care of the meat birds and see them flourish, honey, they won't. it's like you bought a dog that someone told you was a cat. two very different things.

take care and good luck