The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[KF0002]

Because they are reasonably rare here I'm trying not to just dispatch them.

The only positive is that I can choose the best ones for breeding next season. There are definitely 2 that I'm keeping. So next season I will have 3 separate breeding pens so I can share the genetics around.

Yeah that sounds like a good plan. I tend to keep more backup roosters than I probably would ever need, but I would rather have a couple too many than not enough backups in the event I lost one. Plus that helps with line breeding to avoid in-breeding a line too hard.

 

[KF0002]

Thats what makes it so amazing.
Elusive but possible.

I have been eyeing some of the 55 Flower chickens or whatever they are called that were created with Leghorns. But I have enough projects for now to take on a MF project. Do you have MF Leghorns?

 

[Amer]

Can you even eat a Sebright? They are a smaller bantam breed, correct? We eat all of our surplus cull roosters, but when they are tiny and lean like bantams they aren't much worth butchering. Maybe sell them off as breeders or pets?

I've heard d'Anvers have a very good breast meat ratio. However, I can't say I've tried with them. I know someone who raises quail for butcher, how different can it be?
Unfortunately, if I had that many extras I'd probably chuck some bodies in the field and hope the animals find them.

 

[KF0002]

I've heard d'Anvers have a very good breast meat ratio. However, I can't say I've tried with them. I know someone who raises quail for butcher, how different can it be?
Unfortunately, if I had that many extras I'd probably chuck some bodies in the field and hope the animals find them.

Yes I know several people who raise Coturnix quail for meat, but they are bred to be meatier I think. Skinning quail is quicker than trying to pluck. May be worth trying it out on some bantams if they feel meaty enough. We skin our roosters and a lot of the time, I don't even pluck the turkeys we butcher if I am pressed for time. Unless I plan on roasting a whole bird, I skin and part the meat out for soups, dumplings, etc. Our dogs get the raw keel, neck, and shanks. My husband and son uses the organ meat as catfish bait, so not a whole lot of the bird is wasted.

 

[Chookwagn]

No way!

Only thing I was sick of this year is getting so many roosters hatch

Out of 30 sebrights hatched .... I got 5 pullets!

Look at all those beautiful red combs

 

[Chookwagn]

Anyway... sorry Moony for adulterating your thread with sebrights.


These are the 3 silver duckwing pullets I could use for next season

 

[KF0002]

Look at all those beautiful red combs View attachment 4086920

That is a lot of roosters. lol They are a really striking looking breed. The hen-feathering on males is very interesting for sure. Is putting lights on your breeders to keep them laying so you can hatch more pullets an option?

 

[Chookwagn]

That is a lot of roosters. lol They are a really striking looking breed. The hen-feathering on males is very interesting for sure. Is putting lights on your breeders to keep them laying so you can hatch more pullets an option?

All my hens are molting at the moment so I'm not getting any eggs..

I will have 14 hens/pullets to hatch from next season

 

[Chookwagn]

That is a lot of roosters. lol They are a really striking looking breed. The hen-feathering on males is very interesting for sure. Is putting lights on your breeders to keep them laying so you can hatch more pullets an option?

Getting power to the coops is my issue with lighting

 

[Amer]

Yes I know several people who raise Coturnix quail for meat, but they are bred to be meatier I think. Skinning quail is quicker than trying to pluck. May be worth trying it out on some bantams if they feel meaty enough. We skin our roosters and a lot of the time, I don't even pluck the turkeys we butcher if I am pressed for time. Unless I plan on roasting a whole bird, I skin and part the meat out for soups, dumplings, etc. Our dogs get the raw keel, neck, and shanks. My husband and son uses the organ meat as catfish bait, so not a whole lot of the bird is wasted.

My d'Anvers are definitely meaty, a judge commented on it, then placed my hen as champion for the county fair.
This one is a bit deceptive because she tends to have looser feathering than the standard requires but she is very solid.

They're solid little birds.
However, I do find that male d'Anvers take a while to finish out. The pullets are solid (though not as solid as grown birds) but the cockerels aren't.
Neither of them do well shown in their first year though because the heavy neck feathering required doesn't come in very full on young birds.
I have skinned 6 Buckeye bantam cockerels once. Stuck them in the crock pot three at a time and cooked them till the meat came off the bone easily, peeled all the meat off, used them for soup and pie.
It just tasted how you'd expect soup and chicken pot pie to taste. What with all the seasonings.