Cochin standards as a meat bird???

[CARS]

Has anyone processed one? They are a big bird but are they worth the trouble??

My Cochins are 9 months old roos (ya... gotta love the "assorted specials"). Slow cooking is understood. Just curious if they have more value as eye candy for the yard or as possible meat bird.

 

[FlashPointFarm]

I've processed a few. They are pretty good. I like to cut the breasts out of them and make chicken and noodles out of the rest.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Quote:
They are used in crosses to produce some good meat birds. I believe the buckeye has cochin background in it...

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

what is their live weight?

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I've had some that are like 12 pounds. But they take some time getting there, which is why they are used in the crosses so much as they are so darn big.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I figured at full grown they would be around 10-12 lbs. My girlfriend and I weighed a pen of 9-12 month old roosters a few days ago. All breeder quality and all different breeds we were really surprised at how little some of the "bigger" breeds actually weighed. We did not weigh any of the cochins though so gotta go so that now

 

[CARS]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I'm not sure what to do with these guys. They are the last of Mc Murray's Rarest of the Rare assortment. I was really hoping there was some girls in the bunch but I guess when you have "hatchery's choice" odds are you are getting roos. They are kinda mutts too so I don't want to keep them as breeding stock. Great looking birds, just not up to the standard.

I see someone within a couple hours of me (MN) has 6 Cochins that are much better looking than mine. The auction doesn't end for a few more days... I'll have to sleep on this project idea.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Too many feathers to pluck. Good grief.

 

[CARS]

Quote:
I was thinking of doing what FlashPointFarm did. I assume that since he cut the breasts out and made the rest into soup meat (can it) that they skinned the birds.