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Post by chooky on Jul 10, 2013 17:14:48 GMT 8
Every time we process our chooks, the wife complains that the "feather root" in the skin is unsightly. So far all of our chooks are white skin birds. So I thought I'll start keeping yellow skin birds. Any recommendations? The criteria are they must be yummy and good size birds.
Also would white feathered birds solve the "feather root" issue?
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Post by cannakid on Jul 10, 2013 20:19:37 GMT 8
I don't take much notice as I use the webber to cook them you don't notice it the black feathered ones would be worst so white should be better. I can't recall what breeds are yellow skinned
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Post by chooky on Jul 11, 2013 9:31:10 GMT 8
I am now thinking of getting a few light sussex pullets for my jubilee indian game rooster. This seems to be the most popular cross for a meat bird.
Have your indian game started laying? I think my pullet will soon. She is looking like she is ready. But I lost my dark cockerel, so I'll be on the look out for a replacement. I read on BYP that indian game birds are prone to dying young.
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Post by quambie on Jul 11, 2013 11:44:21 GMT 8
HI Chooky I have a Indian Game rooster that would be about 6 years old he is the one and only i have now i cross him with speckled sussex buff sussex light sussex that i have just got out and RIR of this gives me my meat birds i leave them until they start to crow about 20 odd weeks then i dress them and the ave around 2.5 KG on the table if you cross IG or Cornish the other name for them onto a Light Sussex you will get sex linked chicks yellow is mail light brown hens so easy to seperate from birth when you pluck you birds do you hot or cold pluck a long time ago i did a bit on dressing birds and did a bit on the Diff between hot and cold cold IE no water or dry plucking will leave the feather stubs in the chook i have an old copper that i use and heat the water up to about 80 degrees then dunk them into it for about one to one and a half mins hang them up with the string that is tide to there feet and the feathers just fall out if its hot enough if it dose not pop them back in again they will come clean as for the yellow skin i thought that the RIR is one any way hope this helps mate Trev
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Post by chooky on Jul 11, 2013 12:08:48 GMT 8
Trev,
Will a jubilee IG rooster produce the sex linked chicks if I cross it with a light sussex? I dunk the chooks in a pot of boiling water when dressing them. I first dunk them into cold water and then the hot water. This prevents the birds from cooking.
I usually process the cockerels at between 20 to 24 weeks or just as they start mounting the girls. I find that if I wait longer they don't taste as good and tough.
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Post by quambie on Jul 11, 2013 12:17:22 GMT 8
agree with that one chooky and yes you should get the same resault with your rooster sex linked is the way to go if you cross the other way you will not get this cant think why the stubs should be left in the bird ?? Trev
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Post by chooky on Jul 11, 2013 12:26:22 GMT 8
With the stubs, there are always a few that are left just in the skin. Personally, I have no problems with them. The wife is just being fussy if you ask me. I think she is spoilt from having the white clean supermarket birds.
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Post by quambie on Jul 11, 2013 12:35:41 GMT 8
Yuck ?? I am thinking on this i do not use cold water at all and some times i have to out the bird back into the pot twice until i get it correct when the feathers fall off with a brush of the hand on the legs down to the neck just a light pull or rub is enough to leave them clean the wing feathers are the same only take a bit harder pull clean in no time after i truss the bird i wash it out inside and out then into the chiller Trev
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Post by chooky on Jul 11, 2013 16:33:22 GMT 8
The reason I dunk into cold water first is because the hot water I use is boiling. I sit the pot on a hot fire. I thought if I dunk the chook into hot boiling water the skin would cook pretty much straight away.
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Post by quambie on Jul 11, 2013 17:32:03 GMT 8
it would cook it the hotest i go is 80 degrees or just about if i cant hold my hand in it for to long thats it in they go i should use a temp gauge to hot will tighten up the skin and make it harder to pluck anyway nice crispy skin Trev
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Post by cannakid on Jul 11, 2013 19:38:01 GMT 8
No mine aren't laying yet I have seen the boy mate with an australorp successfully the other day, I use water at a max of 65 C now then they don't go stiff the plucking machine gets nearly all the pins out as well you can push them out with your finger if you push from behind.
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Post by chooky on Jul 11, 2013 20:07:36 GMT 8
With my method, the feathers come off quite easily. Now I just need to track down a few LS or RIR pullets.
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Post by quambie on Jul 12, 2013 8:42:52 GMT 8
good luck with the pullets chooky there we have it three diff temps and it all works just goes to show there is no norm to it trev
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Post by chooky on Jul 12, 2013 9:03:06 GMT 8
I am just too lazy to keep track of the temp like you guys. So this works for me.
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Post by chooky on Jul 12, 2013 9:04:38 GMT 8
CK,
I would have thought your IG are laying now. They will be a year old soon. The SS Hamburg has been having a nice long break. She last laid an egg around November. Hopefully she will lay soon. We miss her white eggs.
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