Self Sufficient Lifestyle: Chicken Meat Classes

As all of us go on our road to self sufficiency, almost everyone begins thinking about what they are going to dine on for protein. Chickens are the answer. But, at what time should your chickens go on the dinner table? Chicken meat classes make it easier to determine the time. First, there are three primary breeds of chickens: Egg Breeds, Meat Breeds, and hybrids. In this write-up, we are going to focus on meat producing chickens and their particular classes. The key factor for identifying the classes revolves around the age of the chicken.

1. Rock/Cornish Hen: This chicken is from the Rock-Cornish, or Cornish breed. Also possible are cross-bred Cornish birds. They are usually about six weeks old and weigh one to one and one-half pounds. Cornish hens are not game birds and they do not have to be hens.

2. A Fryer or broiler: You will find broilers weigh at most five pounds. At just under 13 weeks of age, broilers are still younger birds, but have not begun laying eggs. Their skin is soft and smooth. Their flexible breastbone make them fine choices for nearly any cooking imaginable. You will probably have more of this class than any other.

3. The Roaster: Roasters are generally eight pound birds. These birds are usually between four and five months old. The breastbone of the roaster is not as flexible as the broiler/fryer. This chicken's skin should be smooth, soft, and pliable like the broiler or fryer. This class of chicken is often times roasted whole.

These classes allow you to determine what the use of your chicken will be. This information will help you plan your own flock around what role your chickens may fill. While slaughtering chickens can be an ordeal, this information will help remove one more aspect about this decision.


Want to find out more about how to be self sufficient, then try more articles on how to keep chickens.

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