[Hevxxx99]

I'm not worried by the lack of breast meat, but if anyone thinking of raising them is expecting an average shaped table bird, they look far too narrow.  The flavour more than makes up for it though!

I got two strains, with the idea of breeding them, but they really don't have the character to pass on to another generation, so I've now killed all the cockerels and am left with one lovely hen, who is indeed laying lots of lovely pale cream eggs.  I may be tempted hatch a few: they'll either be pure LB or LBxMarans so either should be quite meaty.

Years ago, I got Old Eglish Pheasant Fowl, having researched about them as being very good dual utility birds.  Sadly, they are now a rare breed.  I suspect they have been bred too often for show, like a lot of birds, as I found them to be rather smaller than standards suggested and indifferent layers.

I think if I was to try another pure breed, it'd be dorking or possibly ixworth.

[Possum]

Thanks RBF. I will mix the wheat,barley and lamlac and see what happens.

[Dave C]

Well the taste test has experienced some technical difficulties
I have only managed to hatch 3 La Bresse
I think they are 2 pullets and a cock bird so not the end of the world but they will be kept for next years breeding and if upto standard the cockerel will replace my current old boy.

The White Farm rangers are a good old size and should be ready in about 3 weeks and the Poulet Galouise also very large should be a week or so behind them, there is only 1 hen who is much finer boned and light in her feet, I'm going to see if I can keep her for breeding next year just for a bit of fun.

The broody rearing my Indian Game killed 2 of the 11 chicks but things seem to have settled down now so will see how they turn out but don't think I will be eating any of them this year.

How your table birds doing ?

[Dave C]

The white farm rangers dressed out at 2.5 Kg

We'll a little behind time the Poulet Galouise are supposed to be processed at 11 weeks is recommended but they would be 14 weeks on Wednesday and I only got round to processing today.
They all dressed out between 3.2 - 3.5 kg 
So a little bigger than I thought but one will be for dinner tomorrow & the rest in the freezer.

But I'm more than happy with that weight   

[RPF]

Well done Dave! Those are good weights! Do you know how much they have roughly cost you to produce? I'll be very interested to see what they taste like.

[Dave C]

Very very tasty birds 
I couldnt be happier with them massive amounts of breat meat, nice dark leggs lovely firm meat with loads of flavour.

I reckon they cost me about £4.50 ish each, but you could easily get 3 meals out of them and there is 5 of us living in my house.

i ve kept the hens back to try and breed from next year, they are starting to lay now (16/17 weeks old)
they are free ranging very well

[Dave C]

Hi all,

How's everyone getting on with there table birds ?

What were your successes !

What were your disappointments ?

[RPF]

I'll hopefully be processing some of mine this week or next so will let you know once I've done it.

[ricardodba]

Hi guys,

sorry to hijack thread...but...im quite interested in having a go at my own table birds.

Can the 'table' hens be kept alongside my 'egg' hens and fed same diet (layer pellets and mixed corn)?

I guess the biggest issue i face is how to dispatch and prepare them - is there a preferred method?

Which breed would be best for me?

Cheers.

[Dave C]

Hi ricardodba your not hijacking at all, that's what this thread is for 

I think it depends what you want from your table birds.

Are you looking to bring in eggs/chicks, rear, fatten then process all in one batch ?

Or are you looking for a more sustainable flock where the hens are kept as layers and the cockerels fattened for the table ?

This will then shorten your list of breeds. 

[ricardodba]

Hi,

I already have 5 laying hens, which i will add to next spring. 1 of the hens is a light sussex, which i understand is a dual purpose...but im thinking, ideally they really arnt big enough as table birds. Im thinking of also adding a cock to this flock to see if can rear some chicks...just not decided which breed...more than likely a light sussex as i think they are a good looking bird and will cross well with my white stars as well as my light sussex hen....i guess any cock chicks i can fatten up and can be used for table as well???

BUT, my initial plan is/was to try a couple of  proper 'table' birds and they will be let to roam in a different area...im thinking the same area as the pigs, with a coop in the pig area (when i get some weaners in the spring) and see how i go with these. So they will be separate from my 'egg' hens.

If it goes well then maybe i will introduce a 'table' cock or introduce my light sussex cock to the table birds...what you think?

Its all plans at the minute nothing decided   

[Stereo]

Problem is that there are so many strains of all breeds. Some of my pure light sussex are huge. Some I bought from a 'breeder' are tiny, skinny egg machines. So it varies. White stars are usually leghorn based so not a good start for a meat bird. For a cockerel, if you don't want to create laying hens, go for something like an Indian Game. Crossed with your sussex, may produce a decent table bird.

I've got 8 Ixworth Hens and next year I think I'm going to find a decent Indian Game boy to put with them for my roasters. All other cockerels we tend to take to 18 weeks, kill and take off breast and legs/thighs as it's so much quicker than a full process with the equipment I have.

[Dave C]

As stereo said an Indian Game cockerel would produce nice table birds over your LS hen.

Alternatively you could buy in some hybrid table birds, if you look about you can find some healthy free ranging types with good movement.

I have kept a healthy active hybrid back this year to try to breed from in the spring.
But we will see 

[Dave C]

Is or has any body done hybrid table birds this Time of the year ?

I tried finishing some Ixworths off a few years ago but couldn't get any weight on them due to the short daylight hours.

Just wondered if Hybrids were easier due to there greedy nature !

[Eve]

I tried finishing some Ixworths off a few years ago but couldn't get any weight on them due to the short daylight hours.

Why do daylight hours influence growth? Don't they just eat pretty much the same but don't work it off running around as they spend more time asleep? Or eat less but take longer to grow?


Same here about the different strains and even within the strains surprises happen - we had a maran x cream legbar who weighed more at 5 months than his pure maran dad did as an adult.