[pushrod]

Have, or did have, about a dozen orpingtons. Started eating the cockerels at about 6 months old. Quite a decent amount of meat on them and a great soup from the carcass. However the last one we ate was disappointingly tough and about 8 months old. The question is - will the rest be like this, or is it just a case of roasting them for longer. I suppose we had been cooking them for the same time as supermarket chickens which i suppose were only about 6 weeks old. Are year old birds worth eating? Any advice or recipes    gratefully received.

[GrannieAnnie]

When they are older and tougher, don't roast them!!  Casseroles, stews, pies, curry's, or if you have to roast an older bird, steam or poach it first!

[SnooziSuzi]

Great post Pushrod!  I can't wait for the answers as I'm hoping to raise table birds of my own next year  

[pushrod]

what age is to old to roast then? and any one got any suggestions for big fast growing birds that are suitable for the table or dual purpose?

[GrannieAnnie]

We haven't had cockerels to eat before, just proper meat chickens, and they were ready for the table by 4 months as they take longer when they are free range.  

The meat birds we are getting once the pullets have been sold are called JA757's and they are actually table ready at 8-10 weeks, but the farmer said most of his customers kill them at 12-16 weeks.  But as you can see by what people are talking about on here, its not fair on the birds to raise them too quickly as for them to grow that quick, they would have to be inside, never see the sunlight and stuffed so full so quickly that they can't walk!

We don't kill one bird every week until they are too old to roast, they are killed when ready usually and frozen, but I do have 3 cockerels, 2 of which Brian will kill for the pot, but they are 18 weeks old now and as they are not actually meat birds, they don't have a great deal of meat on them.

[Selkie]

I do have 3 cockerels, 2 of which Brian will kill for the pot, .

 :shock: You aren't going to kill 'my' one are you? :shock:

[GrannieAnnie]

NO NO NO!!!!!   Little 'Rosemary' is going to stay with us as he/she is sooooo sweet, besides, she'd only make one sandwich!!!!!   :twisted:

You wanna see her???  

This is 'Rosemary' !!

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[Selkie]

YAY!! I can sleep tonight knowing that he/she is safe and sound

Ooooh you should do an ''adopt a chicken'' thingie on your website :idea:

(I tried all Summer to get one of the skippers on the ferry to do a similar thing with his lobsters, but for some reason he refused :roll: )

[GrannieAnnie]

Hey, Rosemary, what a good idea for a money spinner!!!!!

ADOPT A CHICKEN, £15 a year buys you a photo of your adopted chicken, with a certificate and she'll send you a birthday and Christmas card every year and you get to name her too!!!!!

How's that sound?

Oh I forgot, these ones are gradually being sold from 18 weeks, so they won't be here all year, and as they are mainly white, all the photo's will look the same!!!! lol

[Selkie]

I'd leave out the bit about them being sold though

[babe]

i adopt a cat from malcolms cat sanctuary and a donkey from the donkey sanctuary..both in cyprus

[Selkie]

I used to adopt an orca

[babe]

http://www.malcolmcat.org/

http://www.donkeycyprus.com/history.html

have done both for years

[pushrod]

Thanks for the comprehensive reply Grannieannie. I suppose next time i will freeze them when ready. This time i was just interested to see how big the buff orps would get. Where do you get your ja757's from, is it a local supplier?

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi pushrod, yes, I found him just before Christmas, he's just north of Boston at Spilsby, but a bit far for you isn't it?