MEAT BIRDS THREAD ~Plans, pics, pens, pluckers, processing! GRAPHIC!

[Wannabefree]

Slaughter day is Tuesday or Wednesday for us...can't remember when my friend is off work, but she's lookin forward to it She tickles me how she gets excited when I want to slaughter. She just loves the extras I share with her I'm looking forward to it too...they are beginning to stink now It's about time too! I haven't free ranged, they've been caged, but fed clover and grass with their regular commercial feed. I thought it'd be a good contrast to what you all are doing. Slaughter date has gotten moved back a bit, was gonna be this weekend, but then it got filled up with parties and such frivolosity So anyway, I'll try to remember to weigh them and stuff and maybe get some pics and post. I am just not reliable with pictures, sometimes I remember to get them and sometimes I remember when it's too late. :/ What can I say? I can be a bit of a dingbat Either way, I'm craving chicken and I am ready to get them done!!

 

[Snowhunter]

This girl is just about 11 1/2wks, actually, not 6. I have let them free range all over and the only feed they've gotten is some clabber once a day..otherwise, all they've ate is cow poop and what ever they scrounge around the property. I'm pretty happy with em so far.

I've not tasted any yet...DS and DD are having a leg/thigh each but DH and I are too hot to eat so we'll try some when we cool down some. At least the kids say it tastes good

 

[Beekissed]

This girl is just about 11 1/2wks, actually, not 6. I have let them free range all over and the only feed they've gotten is some clabber once a day..otherwise, all they've ate is cow poop and what ever they scrounge around the property. I'm pretty happy with em so far.

I've not tasted any yet...DS and DD are having a leg/thigh each but DH and I are too hot to eat so we'll try some when we cool down some. At least the kids say it tastes good

WOW...I sure wish you would post that on BYC! Those folks over there are bound and determined that CX will not put on weight unless fed high pro feeds on a continuous schedule. For what you have fed, that is STILL a respectable weigh-in, no matter how old the chicken!

 

[BarredBuff]

I like that!

 

[Snowhunter]

Well, considering the bird had no skin and I just baked it in a covered deep cast iron pot, it aint half bad. Texture is good, much more tender then I would think an 11wk old CX on no regular feed would be. I am pretty darned impressed. The texture is a bit more dense then a young bird would be, which I actually prefer. I don't like mushy chicken, lol!

Coupled with fresh lettuce harvested from the garden it all made a very nice light supper after a hot day


Oh, I didn't have a rigor problem this time.. I can't figure out why...usually me butchering chickens ends up disaster with a very unpaltable finished product..not this time

This next batch... the 6 or 7 that are left, will probably get soaked for a couple days and then put in the freezer once they're processed...one of these days we'll get em penned up!!!

She was cooked too high at first, which may have to do with the tougher outter area... I forgot to turn the oven down but after about 45 minutes I turned the oven down to 200 and let 'er cook for approx 3hrs.

 

[BarredBuff]

Our birds are a tad stringy, but ya'll are making me want to raise a batch of CXs, this fall.

 

[Wannabefree]

I think I want to raise a big batch this Fall too. Maybe 40 or so, provided I have the freezer space after the gardening stuff is all in. I kinda like the little dumb nuggets

 

[BarredBuff]

I definitely messed up with them last round, I need to plan it out better. Do more SS feeding and such. We are eating more chicken lately, and more beef in the winter. I have to see how much room we have too. 1/2 a beef we get this fall, and a 1/2 a pig in the fall. Plus rabbits, ducks, and a few turkeys. Mom doesn't like them but I messed em up the last round. If I do another experiment batch it will be better.

 

[BarredBuff]

And all the extra roos we have, which I may put in the jar. I am not sure.

 

[Wannabefree]

Oh yeah and my hog will be in the freezer too :/ Unless I learn how to salt it and smoke it like they used to do them for keeping...hmm...maybe I should be reading up on that again I know I want country hams done, and they'll keep out of refridgeration.