The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Bionic on February 10, 2017, 10:05:23 am

Title: Culling old poultry
Post by: Bionic on February 10, 2017, 10:05:23 am

I only have 6 chickens, 2 of which were rescues last year but the other 4 are fairly old. I have had them for 3 years and they belonged to someone for some years before that. So they don't lay much. In fact I haven't had an egg from any of them for quite a few months.

So, with the new bird flu restrictions I am wondering if its time to cull all of my girls.

I suppose the dog would like chicken, even if its tough but that means I need to pluck them all which I'm not keen on doing.

What do you do with your old hens?

Title: Re: Culling old poultry
Post by: harmony on February 10, 2017, 10:52:38 am

You could skin.

Title: Re: Culling old poultry
Post by: Fleecewife on February 10, 2017, 12:23:00 pm

Skin them and make hen stew or coq au vin if you want to be posh.  They would be tough roasted, but not cooked in liquid  :yum: .


The dog would happily pluck them itself - mine pluck everything like new toys, crisp packets, rabbits etc and would do a bird if they got their jaws on them.  BUT it wouldn't be sensible to feed a whole chicken to a dog as it might give it confusing ideas for when you get new ones (which you will - life without hens is too quiet).

Title: Re: Culling old poultry
Post by: pharnorth on February 10, 2017, 02:29:01 pm

I'm sadly in the same boat. Last time I culled a 2 year old cockerel I skinned and cooked the breasts which were very very nice.  It is much less trouble than plucking and much less trouble than gutting etc so I took the easy route because I wasn't sure it would be very good but some would consider it very wasteful. This time I'll probably skin and use all of it since coq au vin is a classic for a reason!

Title: Re: Culling old poultry
Post by: Charlie1234 on February 10, 2017, 04:34:49 pm

Many years ago when we were poultry+ egg suppliers the old man would cull the old birds,skin them and cook them in the pressure cooker,never had a tough one even if they were4 or 5 year old.

Title: Re: Culling old poultry
Post by: Dave C on February 10, 2017, 07:10:34 pm

Even old layers are worth a go just cook them slow.

Spent hen has loads of flavour  :thumbsup:

Title: Re: Culling old poultry
Post by: Anke on February 12, 2017, 07:26:55 am

Cull, then skin and take legs off and breasts. Probably not much meat on the breast, but either marinated in red wine and garlic or curry spices, they will be very nice slow cooked (and miles better than any supermarket chicken).

I now cannot eat chicken in restaurants/sandwiches etc, as the texture is just soooo off putting....