What to feed chickens before I butcher them?

[crazzzymike13]

II was wondering if chickens are like cattle. Some people feed out cows with certain feed before butcher. What about chickens?

 

[Beekissed]

Since most farmers will feed out a cow on grains before butchering and most chickens are already on grains, I don't know that I've ever heard of any special feed, other than the grains they already consume, for chickens to improve the meat.

I have heard, on the other hand, that chickens fed fermented grains or ACV will have a sweeter, more tender and juicier meat than those that have not had these feeds.

 

[wyoDreamer]

I have been told that some people feed cracked corn for the last week or so, to add a layer of yellow fat. Don't know if that is a wives tale, a smart thing to do, or what. Just what the neighbor says his grandma used to do.

 

[Beekissed]

I did that the last batch I raised for 2 wks before processing. It did make the birds have a yellow tint under their skin and they tasted good but I don't know what they would have tasted if I hadn't.

 

[jacobkelly15]

feed them regular scratch and cracked corn! nothing else they wouldnt need.

 

[Dutchess]

What about flock raiser? Purina.

 

[Kikiriki]

I have heard of some dishes considered gourmet foods where the animal is force fed different things before butchering. One is brandy, I think, so how 'bout givin the chickens a beer or a glass a wine? Ha ha!!

Garlic in the feed might give the meat a hint of garlic as spreads rapidly through the body and seeps out ones pores!

That layer of fat discussed from corn might be good if you are roasting the meat, but for stew or soup I would prefer no or little fat.

 

[hbrown]

I have about 2 month old chicks that I'm going to put in the freezer what do I need to start feeding them now up til I butcher them I've had them on chick starter now they are on grower now. What do I need to do now to feed them out Thanks

 

[LindaB220]

I have about 2 month old chicks that I'm going to put in the freezer what do I need to start feeding them now up til I butcher them I've had them on chick starter now they are on grower now. What do I need to do now to feed them out Thanks

You could add some dry skim milk to their feed. It'll stick to it. It will add some more weight. These are CX's right? If not, pen them up the last month so their meat will be more tender. Hope this helps.

 

[RogerShoaf]

II was wondering if chickens are like cattle. Some people feed out cows with certain feed before butcher. What about chickens?

I strongly suspect that it would alter the taste of the meat. In reading up on the Breese chickens they finish the birds on a diet of rice and dairy.

The beef cows are not the only thing that seems to change flavor with diet (read up on Kobe beef), pigs for black forest hams are fed a special diet as are the Smithfield Virginia hams (Peanuts) and Spain has their special diet also.

I want to try a finishing diet for Capons with the cooked rice and dairy and perhaps another trial with malted barley. With Malted barley most of the starch in the grain is converted to sugar so that might have a nice effect. You might want to take this a step further and make up a mash from the barley pitch some brewers yeast but cut short of full strength beer fermentation.