What makes a bird a roaster or a fryer?

[anniemary]

We have five BO hens that are sitting on clutches waiting to hatch. Our plan is to grow this second generation for meat purposes. I would really like frying meat. Does frying meat depend on when we butcher the chickens or the breed and if age, when should we butcher them?

Should we feed them differently? We currently let our chickens free-range and supplement with laying feed in the winter months.

I hear chickens are good for two years of egg-laying. So, I thought I'd cull the first generation at two years and consider them stewing hens. Am I correct?

When, then, can I cull a mamma hen and let her babies grow up to be egg layers?

I am learning so much on this board and am so grateful to all of you who help me!!!

 

[NancyP]

Hi, check out this link it explains it very well.
http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/cookingwheritagechicken.pdf
Nancy

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I know with meat birds a fryer was listed 4-6lbs and the roaster were 6-8lbs. You are correct about the stewing hens. I think that is all they are worth. I don't cull my hens until their egg laying drops dramatically, which is usually around 4 yrs for me. Two seems a little young to me and I wouldn't kill mamma at least until her babies are laying eggs. If she is a good broody hen and you want more eggs hatch, you might even want to think twice about getting rid of her. She might be worth her keep that way. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[anniemary]

Thanks for all your help! The article was VERY informative and valuable!!! Thanks again!

 

[saddina]

Just a note on "stewing hens" you're not stuck with having to make gallons of chicken soup, but they do better in a "wet" cooking method, things like tamales, enchladas, pot pies, cassaroles, anything where you first boil then shread the meat, the more texture allows the meat to not mush up the way market-bought cheap birds do.

 

[SteveH]

Many years ago a friend told me that the major fried chicken chain he worked for used older , cheaper , cut up chickens . According to him , they were pressure cooked a few minutes before being battered and quick fried . I've always wanted to try this .