do you eat yours?

[wabbitswayer]

Do you guys eat your birds? I heard once that the eggs from a gamebird are nasty and leave something to be desired or are an aquired taste. Any input there? I figured that they would be very closely built (meat to bone ratio) as that of a pheasant or something like that (max of 3 or so pounds). I live in pheasant country and those leave something to be desired... Some folks like them, some don't. I know this is a probably a stupid question but because of the trait that is being bred for (feathers) does that cause the meat to become stringy, dark, or tough?

[Kickingbird]

When you refer to "gamebirds" are you meaning game fowl or pheasants when you asked about the eggs? All of my chickens eggs look and taste pretty much the same as store bought eggs. They have a little more color to them but that is the only difference. I have never had pheasant eggs though.

As far as meat goes, all of them are pretty much the same. I don't eat my birds as a general rule but I'm not opposed to it. If you butcher them when they are young they taste great, if you wait until they are a year or two old then they need to be pressure cooked.

I figure I feed expensive feed and it cost me about $7 to $10 to raise one of my birds to eating weight/age. I can buy a whole chicken at the store for less with more meat and less work

KB

[Predator]

Kickingbird is right on the money. I still believe though that any animal tastes as good as its diet was.I know people that will not eat Mule Deer--because of the taste ( these people are from the eastern U.S. and normally only eat the White-tails from their area.) I personally think that Mule Deer have a different taste to our White-Tails here--but I like it better then our deer.
Pheasent , like grouse or wild turkey have different flavors then those raised in captivity.
Anyway with that said--it is an individuals preference as to what they like.The eggs seem like any other egg to me.
I do not believe the feather connection has anything to do with the meat.Meat that is dark and stringy and tough is from the use of those muscles. The Darkness is from the circulation of blood in the muscles that are used the most. Look at the thighs compared to the breast , wings ans legs--you will see the difference in meat color --the more used---the darker--the less used---the whiter.
If you want to eat any--do like Kickingbird says--butcher young.I buy my chicken , to eat--but will raise different types for eggs and meat this spring.

[wabbitswayer]

By gamebirds I meant gamechickens not upland gamebirds. Thanks for the input. The eggs from my chickens certainly tastes different, it is a more bold taste than those that I get from the store. Guess I just need to look into "universal" chicken breeds...

[Predator]

Upland gamebirds--was used to explain the answer--for if it holds true for them--it holds true for game fowl ( chickens ). I was also pointing out with the upland gamebirds--that depending on how they are raised--affects their taste--for their diets are different---same - same game fowl ( chickens ) , free ranged or penned. So I stand by my answer--for the upland game birds is a parallel to game chickens.

[PoultryGuy]

Predator is right,
Diet has more to do with it than anything else. I eat the eggs from my pit games (american & asian) and they are just as good as my "normal" bird's eggs, lol. Turkey eggs are just like giant chicken eggs. Waterfowl eggs are good, firm, but good. As long as they aren't fed a high fish or algae diet, then they become "fishy" tasting. Guinea and pheasant eggs are darned good but you had better like your foods "rich" because they're higher in oils than most fowl. I use guinea eggs in baking because of their richness. Once in a while I will surprise guests by making a tray of deviled 'golden pheasant eggs'. They're really cool!

As for the flesh, I prefer a dark meat myself so commercial chicken is the pits in my house, lol. My pit fowl, sumatras, ameraucanas and marans have a bit more dark meat than something like an Australorp but age really is a determining factor for toughness, as well as the amount of excersize the birds get. That's when the crock pot comes out or they get ground up for sausage or other cuisines. A good slow smoking works well btw, nice flavor too.

Dan

[fowlplay]

cant find any argument in that. we have anywhere from 50 to a hundred "farm chickens" at all times, plus a few dozen game fowl also. we eat and sell alot of eggs in the spring and summer time. as far as my game fowl eggs, though smaller in size compared to the large farm chickens, they taste pretty much the same. biggest thing i can say, is the diet is the key. during the warm seasons, most of my birds free range, with minimal corn or scratch feed, and layer mesh. come colder seasons when the free range pickings are becoming scarce, i put them an a heavy corn diet. i can always tell when i eat them fresh eggs by how rich and thick the "cornfed" yolks become. the heavier my corn\protein is, the darker them yolks are also. i did try some goose eggs this summer too...dont have to worry about the fishy taste 'cause the only swimmen source the have is the kids swimming pool.lol