Author Topic: La Bresse Gauloise & Indian Game Project (Read 37943 times)

Castle Farm · « **Reply #105 on:** October 21, 2015, 01:48:07 pm »

This has been a very interesting thred and well worth following. Thanks RPF

RPF · « **Reply #106 on:** October 21, 2015, 05:16:20 pm »

Thank you for your support CastleFarm!

Stereo · « **Reply #107 on:** October 22, 2015, 12:40:10 pm »

Quote from: RPF on October 21, 2015, 11:35:56 am

Yes Stero, the birds were feed purely on local wheat and barley. As per La Bresse protocol, I wanted them purely on local grain. I did have them on a bit of milk too but I didn't think it was worth it for the money. I didn't keep a close check on the quantity of ration as I was ill at the time so had to take my eye off the ball. However, someone from the Low Cost Lving website has done some maths on both meat birds and dual-purpose type birds.

According to their figure, my birds would have consumed 26.8lb or 12.2kg of ration over the 21 week period.

Does that sound about right to everyone else?

If so, chick crumb is £12.00 a bag and they each eat 2kg so that's £1.20 each.

They therefore consume 10.20 kg of wheat and barely @ £4.50 a bag costing £2.30

Total Estimated feed cost per bird £3.50

Thanks, last year I did some record keeping and I think we came to £5 to get birds to POL / Slaughter but that was a mix of males / females so I think it sounds about right as I was using fairly expensive grower pellets.

Next year I'm looking at doing a hybrid flock, just for my honesty box sales. I run rare breeds to sell hatching eggs and the surplus go on the gate but I'm getting moaned at because at this time of year it dries up and there are no eggs. So, i'm going to take 6 of my trad Light Sussex hens and put them with a proper Rhode Red boy I have raised this year and in spring, hatch some 'ginger rangers' which will go on the flat field by the path so customers can see them and these will lay eggs only for the box. As the chicks will be sex linked, I also want to do some serious calculations on raising the boys in terms of cost per kilo at 18-24 weeks. So they will be separated on day 1 and everything recorded. The pullets will have proper grower pellets, the boys, wheat and barley.

I've also got some very heavy Ixworth hens so I plan to source a proper IG boy and see how that turns out for meat birds. Will cost that also. Might be more worthwhile to sell the pullets as layers and just kill the boys for sale. I'll have to have a look around to see if there are any chicken processing facilities around here. I was considering building a plucker etc. but then of course it's more complicated to sell them. Need to look into it.

Great thread though. Thank you.

RPF · « **Reply #108 on:** October 22, 2015, 05:52:12 pm »

Thanks Stereo, interesting plans you have there! I like the potential IG X Ixworth. I think it'll make a good table bird.

RPF · « **Reply #109 on:** October 27, 2015, 05:51:37 pm »

Just a quick update - we decided to try the IG for Sunday Roast as we were going to Devon for half term so there wasn't any point in doing a parallel tasting.

This one weighed 1.46kg and was a good looking carcass. However, it looked like a corn fed chicken in that the skin was very yellow. There was a good breast/leg meat ratio. On carving, I noticed how dark the leg meat was and there was hardly any fat in the tray. The taste was super be, I had mainly leg meat, which was quite gamey but I liked that. I had a bit of breast meat too that was also full of flavour. I know some people have remarked that IG is stringy and tough but I didn't get that at all.

Victorian Farmer · « **Reply #110 on:** October 27, 2015, 07:47:02 pm »

Try and source some corn and bruised barley it will cost you £80 a ton get builders bag and feed them well on this. It' will be very rewarding.

Stereo · « **Reply #111 on:** October 30, 2015, 02:00:55 am »

Quote from: RPF on October 27, 2015, 05:51:37 pm

Just a quick update - we decided to try the IG for Sunday Roast as we were going to Devon for half term so there wasn't any point in doing a parallel tasting.

This one weighed 1.46kg and was a good looking carcass. However, it looked like a corn fed chicken in that the skin was very yellow. There was a good breast/leg meat ratio. On carving, I noticed how dark the leg meat was and there was hardly any fat in the tray. The taste was super be, I had mainly leg meat, which was quite gamey but I liked that. I had a bit of breast meat too that was also full of flavour. I know some people have remarked that IG is stringy and tough but I didn't get that at all.

Times move on. We cook our birds in a wood fired Esse which takes forever but it suits the bird it's cooking. Put it in a modern fan oven and you will get a faster meal but it will be no match for the stove version. So I suppose the ultimate meal starts from the parent stock, goes through the rearing and ends with the dispatch, hanging and the stove it's cooked in. Easy then.......

RPF · « **Reply #112 on:** October 30, 2015, 12:14:07 pm »

Yes, I defo agree a wood fired oven is the thing to cook the birds with! The taste must be second to none. When trying my birds to taste test, I just use salt, no pepper, and rub it with rape seed oil and butter. What do you do Stereo?

Stereo · « **Reply #113 on:** October 30, 2015, 10:12:32 pm »

Just salt and butter. Sometimes some herbs but not sure they do much. Main thing is to defrost properly before getting the butter on. We have to ignore the standard advice and wing it but slow roast suits this and as long as the inner bits are properly cooked, the meat will be out of this world.

Modern 'chicken' is a piece of 'stuff' you add sauce or something to to make a meal. A properly roasted trad chicken can be eaten as a meal on it's own, it's so good. But then honey parsnips, roasty spuds, peas, fresh carrots and a nice thick gravy from the roasting pan. Maybe a few sausages and some bacon.........