We have about 35 hens and 2 roosters, who are giving us only 3-5 eggs a day these days. Molt is over, and they're healthy. Some are 4 years old (RIR and BPR), a few 3 years (americaunas), but most are about 2 years (australorps). It's possible we have some egg-eaters, but I've never caught one or seen shell remains left behind, so I don't know. In any case, I believe most are near the end of their productive years or way done already. 
We raise chickens for eggs and meat, not as pets - so it's time, I think, to renew the flock. Hubby says the first time 4 days go by with zero eggs, he's culling the entire flock. Are we wrong? Missing something? (In any case, we have 51 new chicks in the brooder (RIR and BPR), 4 weeks old, so we will have a whole new laying flock by springtime.)
What I am curious about is what to do with the birds? I don't have much experience using old chickens for meat, except that the ONE time I tried (9 month old birds) they were tough as shoe leather. I was told by an elderly aunt that they were too old - you have to butcher by about 16 weeks of age for tender meat. That's a lot of birds to pluck & clean, especially if we can't fry or broil the meat! It would take me DAYS to pressure-can that much chicken meat. What the heck do people do, then? I remember my grandmother grabbing a chicken from the yard anytime she wanted chicken dinner, and it was delicious! Was she getting only the youngsters, or did she have a secret?
(I should mention that we also raise Jumbo Cornish X for meat, have a freezer full already, and 24 more ready for butcher in about 3 weeks. We share with family & several friends. They are perfect - juicy, tender, delicious!)
I'm not continuing to feed these freeloaders unless they give me eggs to sell, so their fate is pretty much sealed. I just don't know what is best to do with the meat. Our plan at the moment is to bypass the plucking stage - just skin and gut 'em, cook 'em in the stewpot, freeze or can the breast meat, the rest for dog food, and can the broth for soups etc. Bury the bones in the garden. Is there another answer? What would you do?
We raise chickens for eggs and meat, not as pets - so it's time, I think, to renew the flock. Hubby says the first time 4 days go by with zero eggs, he's culling the entire flock. Are we wrong? Missing something? (In any case, we have 51 new chicks in the brooder (RIR and BPR), 4 weeks old, so we will have a whole new laying flock by springtime.)What I am curious about is what to do with the birds? I don't have much experience using old chickens for meat, except that the ONE time I tried (9 month old birds) they were tough as shoe leather. I was told by an elderly aunt that they were too old - you have to butcher by about 16 weeks of age for tender meat. That's a lot of birds to pluck & clean, especially if we can't fry or broil the meat! It would take me DAYS to pressure-can that much chicken meat. What the heck do people do, then? I remember my grandmother grabbing a chicken from the yard anytime she wanted chicken dinner, and it was delicious! Was she getting only the youngsters, or did she have a secret?
(I should mention that we also raise Jumbo Cornish X for meat, have a freezer full already, and 24 more ready for butcher in about 3 weeks. We share with family & several friends. They are perfect - juicy, tender, delicious!)
I'm not continuing to feed these freeloaders unless they give me eggs to sell, so their fate is pretty much sealed. I just don't know what is best to do with the meat. Our plan at the moment is to bypass the plucking stage - just skin and gut 'em, cook 'em in the stewpot, freeze or can the breast meat, the rest for dog food, and can the broth for soups etc. Bury the bones in the garden. Is there another answer? What would you do?
so it’s good to be able to restock up
