[Sylvia]

I am moving more and more towards table chickens inste :chook:ad of just fattening surplus cockerels. I regularly rear Cornish game(cockerel) and Light Sussex hens for a classic utility bird. i.e. a good sized table bird and a reliable laying pullet but have now a Light Sussex cockerel to put to C.G. hens to see if that makes a difference.
I have also been looking at other breeds including commercial ones  and other pure breeds, Jersey Giant, Faverolle, La Fleche etc.
Has anyone any input and experience in table bird breeds?

[Rosemary]

Not a lot of wide experience - we've raised Hubbards from day olds a number of times. I like them better now - didn't at first. I make sure they have lots of access to outside and green grass and "cut" their pellets with corn from about 6-8 weeks. We kill at 12-14 weeks - smallest last time was 5lb dressed weight up to about 7lb. We had one for our CHristmas dinner last year.

We had one for dinner tonight - 6 1/2 lbs (must have been a cockerel  ) - delicious. We'll be having it cold tomorrow night and as curry on Tuesday plus a big pot of soup and bits for the dogs and cats. Thirteen meals plus soup - and even tastes like chicken in curry 

[egglady]

share rosemary's comments in total.  we've left ours a bit late this time and they are really big birds, might even have to get ourselves a bigger freezer!  eek!  6 of them just dispatched yesterday tho not weighed them yet....will advise

[manian]

we left ours a bit too long too (it was our first batch and first culling)
deffo go earlier as the 3 we got (the fox got the other weighed in at 9-10lb dressed weight!!!!!
Mx

[Sylvia]

But do you get the flavour and texture from commercial birds? The C.G. X seem to give a bird that, though slow to grow gives a bird that is darker in flesh, firmer in texture and more "gamey" tasting than a "supermarket" type bird. I kill mine at 15-24 weeks or even older.

[Rosemary]

The Hubbard is pretty firm and very tasty - not gamey, but chickeny  The leg meat is dark. I suppose rearing them outside with room to do chicken things impacts on taste and texture.

Cold chicken tonight - very tasty. Curry tomorrow night 

[deepinthewoods]

i think flavour and texture come more with age, some commercial meat birds are ready in 6 wks my most 'supermarket' type so far was a young light sussex. my tastiest was a yr old rir.
im doing the same as sylvia, changing my flock over the winter to produce meat rather than eggs. im also going to put my ls cockerel to my cornish game ladies to see what happens. tho the research ive done so far points to a cg cockerel with ls hens.

[VSS]

For meat to bone ratio and feed conversion rates, you can't beat a Ross Cobb. Given ad lib feed they will grow like stink and be ready for killing at ten weeks.

[SallyintNorth]

I worked with organic Ross Cobbs in Wales.  They are surprisingly nice birds to be around - very placid and really rather sweet.  They were fed grower pellets ad lib and had a large grassy paddock, and were sent off at 14 weeks.  They were big birds and tasted good - proper chicken.

[Sylvia]

I can see I'll have to get a few of each and compare. I'm about to dispatch some 28 week old Maran and R.I.R cockerels.

[melodrama]

I had the hubbards this year and they were very tasty.  However, I didn't find them a joy to keep and I wonder if thats maybe a good thing when you're going to be eating them as I actually cried this week when a Jersey Giant cock got killed.  The Giants are beautiful and very friendly and whilst I was intending on eating some, I do now wonder if I'll be able to bring myself to do it.  Sorry not much help here 

[Rosemary]

I didn't enjoy keeping Hubbards the first few times - I think the killing was always in teh back of my mind and maybe it was a defence mechanism?

Now we've got better at killing and cleaning, I do enjoy them. They are rather comical in a clumsy sort of way 

[Sylvia]

I think you would have to treat them especially well if they have such a short life. Lots of treats and comforts etc. I am going for a dozen each of Hubbard, Ross Cobb and maybe Sasso as well as my usual crosses. I have also been offered surplus Brahma cockerels, so will see.

[SallyintNorth]

Great stuff, Sylvia.  I shall be very interested to hear your experiences and thoughts of keeping them and eating them all.

[Rosemary]

I'll look forward to the final report on your experiment