A 'math' lesson on meat birds

[Killerbunny]

@lolotsung there is a HUGE difference in both taste and texture. Last store bought chicken I had (a few years back) I thew in the garbage because of the smell of it cooking. Same for turkeys. Then there is the whole ethical side of it.

[lolotsung]

Are almost all or maybe all grocery store bought chickens treated inhumanly?

[Killerbunny]

Not really. They are bred to be meat birds and know nothing else. I personally have an issue with it. I also know of peple round here who grow meat birds in horrible conditions with no care that it can feel Mostly the taste is way better.

[TomK]

Thanks @TomK is there a big difference in taste compared with a grocery store bought $10 BBQ chicken? This is worth the extra cost eg. Aero bar $1 or a dark chocolate Truffle $3. Right?

there is...both in flavour, natural not spice infused, and in texture...i find that store bought raw chicken has no flavour, especially in breast meat and the meat is almost crumbly...i dislike that...alas, it is what people have been conditioned to in the mass agro market place so it takes an inquisitive mind and a search for quality to be open to really getting to know what a healthy naturally raised bird can taste like.

[KimChick]

Thanks for posting all this information Tom, I will make a note that there is such a person in the area.
We processed our own 15 meat chickens on Monday; it took us 6 hrs. They are now in the freezer.

[Epona]

We used to do 50 birds a season. Transported to just outside Elora for processing as there was no one in the Haldimand / Norfolk area that would do a small number. Basically a day out of our lives as we had to stay up there and wait for completion. Our math wasn’t so hot given our travel time etc. We used to track the cost of feed etc….over the years the cost was getting pretty depressing. Regardless, nothing competes with home raised birds. A good friend of ours used to do all her own processing of just over 200 birds every year. They also grow all their own feed. But seed costs, fertilization, and tractor fuels really make you gasp at the increase in price. I know in the last 5 years they have cut back given the rise in cost per pound is hard to pass onto folks that have bought their processed birds over the years.