[GrannieAnnie]

We ate our first home grown meat bird at the weekend. It was out of this world - amazing really meaty texture that you dont get in the supermarket chickens that are pumped with water and god knows what else. They have been so easy to rear and I would really recommend doing it to anyone!
Our only problem now is that we have 14 birds all ready at weight and they are still eating like billy-o so we are going to have to speed up the killing and preparing and put them in the freezer or they will be the most expensive chickens going!

That's one of the problems of keeping them longer, they eat more!!! lol  Brian keeps finding excuses not to kill the reamining meat birds we've got, but I think he needs to be in the right frame of mind which he hasn't been for the pst week, but he must get some done tomorrow, as Mr and Mrs Poultrygeist want one!!!!!!

[mdueal]

That's one of the problems of keeping them longer, they eat more!!! lol  Brian keeps finding excuses not to kill the reamining meat birds we've got, but I think he needs to be in the right frame of mind which he hasn't been for the pst week, but he must get some done tomorrow, as Mr and Mrs Poultrygeist want one!!!!!!

It is just so time consuming! We prepared another 2 last night and they are now in the freezer. With hindsight we should have started killing them in pairs earlier and doing them every other day to get them done.
I was told to dry pluck them whilst they are still warm though which is what prevents us from doing more than two at a time (you should have seen us sitting in the garden, each with achicken to pluck on a tray on our knees!) However, If I were to scald them first as Munty says in his guide then I could probably do more at a time??

I have to say though that all my anatomy lectures from university have finally been useful for something! If I had never dissected anything before, I think I would be totally freaked out and make a complete hash of gutting them - even I managed to nick the bowel yesterday which was messy!

Ive also been saving the livers and when I have all 15 will make something delicious with them!!

[kentishlad]

It is just so time consuming! We prepared another 2 last night and they are now in the freezer. With hindsight we should have started killing them in pairs earlier and doing them every other day to get them done.
I was told to dry pluck them whilst they are still warm though which is what prevents us from doing more than two at a time (you should have seen us sitting in the garden, each with achicken to pluck on a tray on our knees!) However, If I were to scald them first as Munty says in his guide then I could probably do more at a time??

Hi, we just prepared a bird last weekend and the gutting was an experience, still, managed to get it done in the end.
Which breed are you using for meat? I am thinking of rearing light sussex as they are dual purpose.

Cheers,
Wayne.

[mdueal]

We have the JA757's from Simon Skinner (Great name for a meat poultry man!!) I would have them again too as they have been totally hassle free to raise - well excpet for finding time to prepare all of them for the table!

[GrannieAnnie]

Dual purpose birds are good, but then you don't get to eat them until they have had their share of laying, so they are then an older bird and like Munty says, if you wanted them roasted, you should steam them first!

But we too have some of Simon's birds, JA757's and Mastergris, lovely tasting birds, and so are the brown coloryields, but the coloryields Brian says are so much easier to pluck, and Simon said (remember the old children's game??? lol) the brown ones are easier as they have softer feathers.  

However, I think at the moment Simon is re-thinking his delivery routes because the higher fuel is hitting him a bit, but he has a service second to none I tell you!!!!  We have 65 of his birds and they are worth every penny!  BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!  We'll be getting some more soon as people are having one to try and coming back for more.  There is a lady on Downsizer forum who rears them and sells them for £4.60p a kilo and couriers them out.  someone the other week had 10 from her and wants more!!!

[kentishlad]

We have the JA757's from Simon Skinner (Great name for a meat poultry man!!) I would have them again too as they have been totally hassle free to raise - well excpet for finding time to prepare all of them for the table!

Do you know if he or anyone sell these down in Kent? I'd be interested in getting some day olds if possible.

Dual purpose birds are good, but then you don't get to eat them until they have had their share of laying, so they are then an older bird and like Munty says, if you wanted them roasted, you should steam them first!

Yes I was thinking more along the lines of eating some young for meat whilst keeping others for layers though they would end up in the pot at the end; going by the broiler I've just curried for five hours, I think Munty's method has to be worth a shot!

[pushrod]

Yes I was thinking more along the lines of eating some young for meat whilst keeping others for layers though they would end up in the pot at the end; going by the broiler I've just curried for five hours, I think Munty's method has to be worth a shot!

I can recommend Buff orpingtons as a good dual purpose bird. If you get a dozen chicks cull the cocks early for the table and keep the hens for eggs mine have been good layers. If you do get some don't make the mistake of culling them too late as they start to get less tender, better to have them slightly immature ( you also save on food) I kept just one cock so that i could then start a second generation.

Dipping birds in hot water 60-70C for a minute does make them easier to pluck compared to a cold bird, but it is only marginally easier than a just killed bird. There are no quick fixes IME to plucking    it is always time consuming. The cleaning on the other hand can be quite quick with experience and you can get it down to five minutes or so - a bit longer if you take the tendons out of the thighs.

The other day i didn't bother plucking and cleaning one, i just dipped in hot water then skinned the legs and breast. A lot quicker but a bit wasteful of some of the meat.

[pushrod]

oops double post  :oops:

[mdueal]

We have 65 of his birds and they are worth every penny!  BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!  We'll be getting some more soon as people are having one to try and coming back for more.  There is a lady on Downsizer forum who rears them and sells them for £4.60p a kilo and couriers them out.  someone the other week had 10 from her and wants more!!!

What are the regulations on selling your own meat though?? Do you have to have food standard kitchen etc - most people's home kitchens would not come up to scratch - mine certainly wouldnt!!

We have 'given' a couple to neighbours who have in return 'paid for their feed' as I didnt know if it was legal to sell them

[GrannieAnnie]

If you do it properly, I think you'd have to have the meat and hygiene inspect your premises, but a lot of people don't bother.  Brian has put his storage container over to the killing side.  He has the proper stunning equipment and cones, also a big stainless steel table with a tendon puller on it he bought from his turkey farmer friend, and we've just bought him a proper 14inch stringing needle, so ours are all done' properly, and the lady I mentioned has her's killed at a local slaughter house which has a good reputation, so maybe she's okay with that.

We've also got a spare fridge and just bought a bigger freezer, so once ours are plucked, they are hung in a cool place for a day or 2 depending on the weather, then they are dressed and put in the fridge to harden up for a day and if not sold straight away they are frozen.

[GrannieAnnie]

Simon does deliver to Kent, but if you can tell me how many you would be interested in and whereabouts you are, I'll ask him how near to you he goes.

For smaller amounts, his driver will meet people at a convenient spot, or will drop them off at a designated poultry club, somewhere like us, who would take in say 200 and then you go to collect from there.

Let me know, and I'll ask him for you.  unless they've gone up, they were 80p each delivered.

[kentishlad]

Simon does deliver to Kent, but if you can tell me how many you would be interested in and whereabouts you are, I'll ask him how near to you he goes.

For smaller amounts, his driver will meet people at a convenient spot, or will drop them off at a designated poultry club, somewhere like us, who would take in say 200 and then you go to collect from there.

Let me know, and I'll ask him for you.  unless they've gone up, they were 80p each delivered.

Thanks, I've sent you a PM regarding getting some.
Of the different hybrids you mentioned that he sells, is there a list to compare the difference or is it just a matter of trying some?

Cheers,
Wayne.