Does anyone remember....

[Jogeephus]

what chicken used to taste like? I'm a big fan of smoked leg quarters but I seem to recall being able to get leg quarters that actually had meat on them and not filled with so much fat. Is my memory playing tricks on me or has things changed in the last 20 years?

 

[flaboy]

I raised my own last year Jo. I bought some Cornish Roasters via the mail. 6-8 weeks is about all that is needed. I went to 10-11 weeks and dressed some at 10-12 pounds. I think I let get a little too big. They are good but a little chewy. I think next time I will butcher at 6-8 weeks.

 

[grannysoo]

I'm working on some real chickens now Jo. Perhaps we can get together one day in the future and I'll share.

 

[Jogeephus]

I'm working on some real chickens now Jo. Perhaps we can get together one day in the future and I'll share.

That would be good. It just seems they don't cook that well anymore. It might just be my memory but I could just about swear there was more meat on them at one time and not so much yellow fat.

 

[mnmtranching]

We don't buy chicken. Our ranch produces plenty of barnyard broods. Grow slow, chewy, small, multi colored things that rather chase a grasshopper all afternoon then eat commercial feed. No fat on these birds. We love the young ones, just enough for Boss and I. She gets the boneless breast meat and I chew off the bones.

 

[dun]

Does anyone remember when air was clean and sex was dirty?

 

[TexasBred]

Does anyone remember when air was clean and sex was dirty?

Vaguely.

 

[grannysoo]

Does anyone remember when air was clean and sex was dirty?

Sex is only dirty when it's done right.... :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

[bigbull338]

:lol: how did you guys jump on the wrong sub.

 

[Jogeephus]

Does anyone remember when air was clean and sex was dirty?

Dun, I don't want to sound ignorant but I think you will need to define SEX for me. I know this sounds ignorant, but after the Clinton admistration I find myself thoroughly confused as to the meaning of sex. Don't worry about trying to explain what clean or dirty part cause I just bought Big Al's CD and I figure he'll splain it to me shortly.

 

[warpaint]

I'm thinkin it's all how their raised and killed.

Back in the day, Granny would send me off to the coop for however many birds she wanted that day.
Took some balin twine, tied their feet, and took em to her. She and I would ring their necks, hang em on the clothesline to bleed out and then pluck.

Now , they are fed on a schedule that enhances growth, and shipped to a processor. To my way of thinkin, this has to stress the bird alot more, than being killed quickly.

I do still enjoy me some fried yardbird though.

 

[hillrancher]

Does anyone remember when air was clean and sex was dirty?[/quot

When you were 6 years old.

 

[grannysoo]

I'm thinkin it's all how their raised and killed.

Now , they are fed on a schedule that enhances growth, and shipped to a processor. To my way of thinkin, this has to stress the bird alot more, than being killed quickly.

Did you know that Tyson can raise a chick to a chicken in only 53 days? That's scary... :help:

 

[flaboy]

I'm thinkin it's all how their raised and killed.

Now , they are fed on a schedule that enhances growth, and shipped to a processor. To my way of thinkin, this has to stress the bird alot more, than being killed quickly.

Did you know that Tyson can raise a chick to a chicken in only 53 days? That's scary... :help:

Ain't no big deal. The ones I raised were ready at that age. They would have been in the 7-8 pound range dressed at that age.

 

[Dave]

The chicken farmers I know say 42 days. There is one guy who raises smaller birds for Foster Farms that they sell as rotiserie chickens, he says 36 days.

 

[Jogeephus]

Does anyone know if the amount of meat is dependant on the age or is this strictly a function of their diet. In other words, would a chicken that is 10 weeks old have a lot more flesh on it and less fat. It just seems the ones i've been getting lately don't have much meat on them but they have plenty of bone and yellow fat. Is this all due to them cutting the harvest age to six weeks. And what would a 10 or 14 week old chicken taste like?

 

[Wewild]

I recall the skinny chickens I ate in my youth. They were coup raised. I'm not sure what the selection process was but figure it was based on sound principles. They tasted great with all the fixings.

The genetically engineered chicken in the supermarkets today that I eat are much more meaty and fatty than those lean chicken I recall. These seem to have a more moisture and are what they are today.

I recall chicken being some what chewy when fried as they always were. Breast weren't nothing what they are today. We may have been raising layers and eating the culls. It is still a good memory.

 

[1982vett]

I would think breeding plays a large roll. Feed ration, medication and environment the rest. Bred for the fast growth and feed conversion.

Wewild, you like we, probably got the eat the old ones, the cripple ones and the roosters. The young tender ones had to keep laying or meet the ax. :lol:

 

[Calman]

I believe that today's chickens are raised in such a confined area that they dont get enough running around to develope any muscles. Therefore they are fat and to me the breast is rubery,so to speak.
Them ol barnyard chickens developed good muscles and were a lot more tasty.
Probably from chasing grasshopers.
Just couldn't wait until an old hen stopped laying,mom then retired her to chicken and dumplins.
Now that makes for some mighty good eatin.

Cal

 

[Jogeephus]

I read a newspaper article from North Carolina where the producers were being forced to change their operations to raise a chicken from France (?) I think. The article was mostly about the producers being upset with the change but there was some mention about these birds being more muscled and supposedly better than what is normally grown.

These are crude ramblings I know. I don't know squat about chickens. Do know what one looks like but that is the extent of it. I'm sure, like beef, there is a lot to know about it. I would like to get my hands on some better quality chicken if there is such a thing.