Chicken Question

[dewdropsinwv]

@ninnymary I know a lot of people that are like that. One person I know would not let her kids eat strawberries right off the vine because they did not come from the store. Lets not even talk about home made ice cream...no way would she even let them taste it.

 

[ninnymary]

Not eat strawberries off of the vine? Well thank goodness I'm not that bad!

Mary

 

[Beekissed]

Not saying I'm the expert on what commercial growers feed their birds, and I am NOT bashing large poultry operations, or smaller ones. All that I know is that my birds have flavor and store chickens do not, hence the phrase about meat that we are not familiar with "tastes like chicken." MY birds do NOT taste like the rubbery store sold birds that need seasoning to enjoy.
Whatever they are are feeding or however they are caretaking, the result doesn't taste anywhere near as good as my birds taste.
So...what I am doing right?

The difference between eating a baby animal and an older one, for the most part, unless you are free ranging and feeding anything else but a formulated, pre-bagged feed~if you free range and feed a more varied diet of grain based feeds you'll have more flavor, even in younger birds.

Ever eat a calf? Their meat is lighter in color, has less texture and flavor, etc.....you couldn't pay me to eat veal. Even 6 mo. old lamb, though tastier than most meats at that age, have so little texture that it melts in your mouth, one barely has to chew. Compare that flavor and texture to a 1 yr old lamb and it's totally different, even those 6 mo. makes a difference.

DP birds raised in a backyard setting are typically eaten at an older age than a commercial broiler bird and their muscles have actually been used for something other than tottering from the feeder to the waterer. This imparts a deeper color(maybe more blood in the muscle tissue?), a tighter texture and a more mature, robust flavor.

 

[ducks4you]

I hope one day that I will taste a fresh chicken. I've only known store bought. I'm too chicken to process mine, instead I give it away to someone who will. She's offered to bring me some but I just can't eat my own, silly me.

Mary

Mary, if there are any Amish communities closeby or "organic" farms, you could find one processed there. It's hard to describe the taste. It's more flavorful, like turkey, slightly gamey, and just downright delicious. We are about to eat 4 young roosters tonight. I always cook my birds long and low--a crockpot works well, but the oven can do it, too--and I'm expecting that the meat will fall off of the bones as I serve them. Otherwise you could go searching on the I'Net to see about buying local.
I think it's great to keep birds as pets, and I can understand that you don't want to process your own.

 

[ninnymary]

I would like to see them processed. I want to see how strong I am.

Mary

 

[hoodat]

These hens are only 2 years old, I dont think being 2 years old would slow them down to where I'm only getting 4 eggs a day and 6 IF I'M LUCKY.

@ducks4you I have to agree that our meat birds do taste different than the store bought birds.

The one thing that makes the most difference in taste is access to grass and weeds. Chickens can go through a lot of greens if they can get them. It also makes for tastier and more brightly colored yolks.

 

[Nyboy]

I am in same boat as Mary love the idea of humanly raised meat, but unable to butcher.

 

[Beekissed]

It's just a matter of will, really. If you really wanted to, you would. Since you don't really want to, you won't....but it's not a matter of can't, unless you are missing your arms, and even then I'm betting there are folks in other countries figuring out how to butcher a chicken without the use of their hands.

As a nurse, the first time I had to stick a needle into someone's arm, I just kept thinking, " I cannot stick this in someone and intentionally hurt them...I just don't have it in me to do that, especially a child." But, after making myself do it anyway because you can't be a nurse unless you do that task, it became second nature and I never had to jump that hurdle again. All one has to do is know the reason for it and, if it's a good reason, then it's doable. Very doable.

You just have to believe in something strongly enough to make yourself do it.

 

[ninnymary]

Beekissed, I have this thing about dead animals. I can't pick them up even wearing gloves. In the past there has been a dead squirrel, dead chicken, and dead bird in my yard. I've been out there with gloves on and a shovel and just couldn't pick them up. I had to call my neighbor to come and do it.

Mary

 

[Smart Red]

I can butcher and I have done it, but I prefer not to. I am looking for somewhere to have the older hens "ready to cook".

I know how the "Can't do" feelings come about. I never thought I could give injections until I realized that if I didn't learn how, my son and DIL would never have any free time. Once the doctors decided Connor needed daily injections it ended our Friday sleep-overs.

I made an appointment with a nurse at the local hospital and learned what I needed to know to care for my grandson properly and made myself give him the needed injections. Nevertheless, I was much relieved when the need for daily injections was over.