I might try some from the FR hatchery in the spring, just to try them, but I do like supporting fellow BYCers, and I was very happy with Bruce and his birds...they grew well with very little health issues (we only lost one to disease, one to some random accident), they ranged well, they were gentle and not as ornery as I have heard they can be at a more advanced age, and he shipped quickly with the birds arriving in good shape. I suspect he sexed them for me...how do you otherwise get like 5 females and the rest males (although I ordered a bunch of chicks from elsewhere months and months ago and got all but one male. Sigh.) The price was good too.
I was very happy with the results using turkey feed, and my friends and I agreed the birds went 10 days too long. I suspect if we had butchered on time, they would have averaged closer to 6 lbs or less, not almost 7. But we do like roasting birds here, and with my friends having a large family too (8 people), larger is better to ensure we have enough meat.
They taste really good. I cooked a second one for a potluck we had last weekend, and the guests were astonished at the good flavor and texture with minimal seasoning. I took one of the larger butterflied birds, put it in a roasting pan after rubbing it with oil, salt and pepper, and putting an onion, an apple and a bit of garlic under it. Amazing.
