OT Chickens

fregienewbee · Dec 5, 2008

Todays chickens taste nothing like the ones I remember Dad butchering for Sunday dinner. I'm thinking of getting a few for eating. My sister says "farm raised" chickens are very dry tasting, like wild turkey. Is that right? Or is she just spoiled? What breeds would you recommend?

Thanks.

Larry in Michigan

rrlund · Dec 5, 2008

Don't know about chickens,but a few weeks ago on the Georgia Farm Monitor they were on a farm that raised free range chickens and turkeys. The owner said he warned potential customers that the turkeys were nothing like the turkeys they were used to getting in the store. Said if they liked the store bought,they probably WOULDN'T like free range. He didn't say about the chickens.Just tried to say they were better for you. To me,pork doesn't taste like it used to. Maybe it's just my taste buds in my old age. All I can eat is smoked though,bacon,ham,that sort of thing.

greenbeanman in Kansas · Dec 5, 2008

As a kid growing up on a farm with a lot of chickens I have eaten more than my fair share of it and I relished every bite of it. Not much of anything beat my mom's fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and homemade gravy that went with it. What I wouldn't give if I could buy meals like that today.

As a kid I'm sure I didn't have a developed palate and know what true and proper cuisine is but it tasted better than anything I can get from the store today. Not only that but as it was cooked blood didn't cook out of it. Cutting their heads off and flopping around I suspect pumped the blood from the bird which left none to cook out.

Amazing what grasshoppers, bugs, etc. can do to develop the taste difference over commercial birds. Haven't raised any myself so can't really give an informed opinion other than I'll take good tasting farm raised any day even if it is drier.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 5, 2008

I've been raising chickens for almost 20 years now, and they are kinda dry, but just like anything else you just need to dr. them up. I raise mostly pullets( Americana's, California's, and Buff Orphington's). Be sure to cool em off before cooking to keep em from being tough. Soak in ice water or just refridgerate over-nite. Any kind of marinade you like will keep em from being dry, or at least help.

JDemaris · Dec 5, 2008

Not everyone "farm" raises their birds the same. It depends on their feed (bagged,wild, or both), if they're caged, kooped, free-ranging, etc.

Age also makes a big difference if you want flavor - especially for soup. Old tough birds tend to have the most flavor - but the meat is like shoe-leather.

doh! · Dec 5, 2008

Cornish "X" from Murray McMurry. They grow fast and average up to 8 lbs finished out. Moistest chicken i have ever eaten! They grow so big so fast that they don't need open range. They just belly up to the feed trough and eat. Takes about 8 weeks and you can start butchering.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 5, 2008

Breed recommend? New Hampshire or Rhode Island Reds, Wisconsin Winebagoes/Wyandots, Buff Orpinton. For more hardy free range- the Old English Game. Cochin and Cochin Banties also nice general purpose and setting hens for meat/eggs. Cornish cross a quick growing fryer but requires watching and feed restrictions- not so good as free range. Egyptian Felucas(sic?) or something like that seen at some 4h shows- about like Banty , some long tail feathers, supposed to be good forager and fairly quick growing and good eating. Murray hatchery out of Iowa- Webster City area- has catalog with a lot of heritage/dual purpose breeds for small farm flocks. RN

Farmall Don · Dec 5, 2008

I dont know where your sister gets her chicken from, but we have some of the best chicken I"ve ever tasted. Way better than store bought. Sure it isnt the processing or cooking practices?

Chris in MO · Dec 5, 2008

I guess a lot has to do with taste. I love venison, the wilder tasting the better. My wife will eat it but is no fan of the wild taste.

As too chickens, remember the grocery store chickens were raised so as to put the most weight into the retail package for the least money. Many shortcuts are taken and compromises made. We raise Cornish Cross broilers for ourselves, just like Tyson. However, they live a very different life and have a very different taste when they get onto the table.

Christopher

RayP(MI) · Dec 5, 2008

You are what you eat - Free ranged chickens like you raised and allowed to run around the farmstead, are going to taste far different from the factory raised from the grocery store. Never forget the first deer I got. He was full of corn. Was like emptying out a gunny sack full of corn when we field dressed him. Tasted like corn/grain fed beef. Since then, I've gotten numerous deer that fed on soys, cedars, acorns and other various foodstuffs. Didn't taste near as good. As for what tastes good, I'll leave that up to you, but "you are what you eat" goes for critters too.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 5, 2008

I've raised cornish cross for about 10 ten years,hogs for about 3 years, lambs for about 4 years and my neighor milk holstein.We don't even think about store bought chicken,pork,beef or lamb. I have no problem selling or trading what in don't put in our freezers.My neighbor usually losses a cow to some injury and doesn't like to see it go to waste, so we'll butcher it up into burger, stew meat and roast. I'll take that over angus any day. Ain't nothing hard about raising any animal for food. Shelter, water, good feed and keeping clean thier living space just like you do for yourself.

JBruce · Dec 5, 2008

Best tasting chicken is the dual purpose breeds like Rhode Island Reds or such. tried raising Cornish Cross one time never again. Tasted like the ones out of the store. Same with the hogs- Duroc, Hampshire, Poland China will taste better and be more tender. Tried raising the big white European hogs like are mostly raised nowdays- same as the chickens- meat not as flavorable- not as tender and full of striffing that you can't chew. But to each his own opinion.

flying belgian · Dec 5, 2008

If you were used to eating store bought chicken you would not like the taste of free range chicken and vise versa.

GA Dave · Dec 5, 2008

Remember, Sunday chicken and biscuits "back then" were mostly cooked with lard. YUM YUM. David........... A child of the 40s!

OT Chickens

fregienewbee

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rrlund

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greenbeanman in Kansas

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Anonymous-0

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JDemaris

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doh!

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Anonymous-0

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Farmall Don

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Chris in MO

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RayP(MI)

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Anonymous-0

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JBruce

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flying belgian

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GA Dave

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