We do eat our extra roos, we are trying to establish a flock of laying hens. We have been hatching our own, by letting the hens do the brooding! It is a slow process, but my Little guy gets to see the eggs hatch and it is cheaper for us since we do not have a bater! So far our luck has it that we get 2 hens to 4 roos! We did buy some d'uccles last spring, and this spring we plan on getting a few more kinds to unsure all ladies!!! We haven't decided how many!
We also raise Muscovy duck. We tried the meat last summer and let me tell you, it is so good, we do not keep the duck whole, we breast it out, and keep the thigh and legs. Not much meat else where on the ducks!
We then grill the breast meat, all I do is rub some olive oil on the boneless, skinless breast and season with a garlic and herb mix, and a touch of seasoned meat tenderizer. Grill as if it were a piece of steak. It looks like steak, feels like steak, the beast cut of steak. I sometimes cut the meat into small thin strips and put it on flat bread with a little cucumber ranch sauce and some Monterey jack cheese and tomato slices, what a gyro!
The meat is even better cooked over a camp fire.
The meat is leaner than turkey.
Yes it is hard to butcher the ducks and chickens we raise, we do not take it lightly. We take good care and give them love and attention till it is time. I know that the animal I raised received the best life and focus on that had I bought it in the store it probably never even saw daylight let alone ate grasses or bugs, or got to bath in a dust bath or a pond!
We do not name our meat birds. My little guy understands we can not keep all the babies because we will be over run with animals, and he eats the meat, he does prefer deer meat though! We didn't get a deer yet this year. My older boys eat the meat, but can't eat the eggs go figure! LOL!!!
So yes it is hard, but we know what we fed our birds, and what condition they were raised so it helps us feel we are doing what is best for our family!
