[Bodger]

I hatched eight Maran chicks on February the first this year. I think I've said before but I was lucky enough to get an even split of sexes.


This is how they were just as they were hatching.





I've been fatttening the cocks up for the table. This is how they look now.





They should be ready for the pot anytime now. Marans are not really the sort of birds that you want to go throwing food down but they should certainly be better than the 42 day old birds that most supermarkets sell.  :shock:
These birds have been kept inside, so that they havent run much meat off but I'd still hate to think how much food I've actually had to feed them so far.


I've also have five Sussex cocks running around at free range and these are going to be even longer getting upto weight because of the exercise that they've been having..





It will be interesting to see if they taste any better than the Marans which have been fed on the same food but kept inside.

[Brambles]

Oh Bodger!!!!!  How COULD you??  I promised my OH that if I could keep chickens that he could eat all the cockerals that I hatched (I'm veggie).. But now that I have them, I cannot let them hatch any eggs  and I buy in ONLY hens      

[blulagoo]

Bodger - Don't do it!!!! They are gorgeous to look at not eat!! :x

[Bodger]

I didn't fancy a quiet Sunday night.    

[blulagoo]

I know and I bet you won't get it!!

We have a very noisy boy - RIR cross (AMber link I think), if the neighbours complain to the council (or us for that matter) we will have to find him a new home - just don't think I could do the deed even though he does look nice and meaty!

[too many girls]

being gorgous isn't going to put the dinner on the table, if he's hatched them to eat, then eat them, people feel differently obviously, but if they're not kept as pets and have been reared for this purpose....
 at least he knows what kind of life they've had and what they were fed on ect, wish i had the guts to do it.

[Bodger]

The trouble is that if you hatch chicks, you can only keep one or two males out of them at most. My choice was to kill the boys virtually as they hatched or to do something useful with them.
I get the same buzz out of eating something that I've reared or caught as you get from eating something you've grown from seed in the allottment.

Having said that, I fully realise that this is not for everyone and I have absolutely no problems with that. Its something that I've done all my life, as I've fished and hunted my way through it.
 We've sat down tonight and eaten a super dinner of our own reared pork. Yesterday we had steak from Mrs Satan, :shock: which was the name that one of our kids had given to the last Dexter cow that we put in the freezer.  

[Porffor]

I don't think i could do it, but I can see why people do. You will know they've had a good life, and that they are well 'grown' fair play to you. If you raise your chickens you don't have to pay a supermarket for them.. always a good thing!

[blulagoo]

Good for you Bodger. My nan taught me to 'do' rabbits and chickens when I was about 5 - just don't  think I could do it now though. I remember we used to play with the chicken claws pulling the tendons to make them open and close! It was fun when you were 5.

[Bodger]

To be honest, I daredn't pick the marans up. Thats because they look so big and I've put so much food down them yet I just know that they will feel like racing whippets when i do.

[ness]

I like your style, Bodger, and I'm also a bit jealous. I have ended up with an unwanted vorwerk cockerel who I'm trying to rehome.  If I can't I'm tempted to fatten him up for the pot but I've got a couple of problems.  He's crowing already (at 8 weeks) don't think my neighbours would appreciate a few more weeks/months of his "dooing".  And basically I'm a wimp, so don't really think I could "do the deed".
Vorwerk cockerel anyone? :roll:  
Ness x

[Vember]

I'd love a light sussex boy, mine died (old age) a month ago Just got to hope there's a nice boy amongst the Buff Orps

Fine looking birds Bodger will be intresting regarding the two varieties and taste, I've got Guinea fowl due to hatch this week, hoping they'll do for Christmas  

[Porffor]

Vember i'm off to look at some light sussex girls on Wed.. they have some boys if you fancy 'coming south' PM me for his number if you do and if you do come down maybe we could have a cuppa together.

[Bodger]

Vember.
I don't know which part of North Wales you are in, but I travel up the A55 every Saturday with my son for his cricket and all you have to say, is the word and one of these young LS is yours.

[babe]

i really wish i knew how to raise them for lunch.

maybe i'll be brave enough to learn one day.