Jamie's Fowl Dinners

[Nicos]

I've only just managed to watch the recording of this ( one of the plus sides to ironing!!!)

As I had it recorded, I managed to copy down the Supermarkets listed which sell the higher welfare indoor reared birds ( ie those with 25% more space, toys, climbing frames/perches and sleeping areas- and are more slowly growing)
Cost about £3.99 for birds about the same size as the '2 for £5'

Though someone might like to see the names they are sold under incase you fancy trying them


Waitrose - Select Farm
Somerfield - Best Ever
Co-op - Elmswood
M&S - Oakham
Tesco - Willow Farm
Morrisons - Wye Valley
Sainsbury's - Corn Fed
These are the ones with the Freedom Food Mark as recommended by the RSPCA

Hope that's of use to someone!

[piskieinboots]

I'm still reeling at the gas chambers, I'm sure it's for the best (!) but then again is it? Couldn't there lil babes be sold for running around and getting big for meat?

[Nicos]

I think they were explaining that the male 'egg layers' were the wrong shape for meat Piskie. ( ie small breasts )
I bet those were the sorts of birds we used to eat many years ago though.
(Perhaps the birdy peeps on the Vine can tell us more??)
Not nice was it- although I'm glad they did that rather than the 'mashing machine'

[piskieinboots]

oooh that mashing machine was truly vile and as for the small breasts, what a silly reason for culling so young, it just seems such a waste to me.

As you say, bet we used to eat the small breasts birds (erm, yep well....moving on) in the days when we didn't waste food stuffs

[SarzWix]

I think they were explaining that the male 'egg layers' were the wrong shape for meat Piskie. ( ie small breasts )
I bet those were the sorts of birds we used to eat many years ago though.

I think that's where recipes such as "Coq au Vin" came from - to use up the stringy, slightly tough meat of the cock bird by slow cooking it. It is possible to breed a meat cockerel with an egg laying hen so that the resultant chicks would be useful for either, but you'd be compromising on both and eventually you'd have to buy in more egg-laying hens or they'd get too diluted?? Think there's some discussion about it in John Seymour...

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks for that Nicos. I didn't watch the programmes as though I am aware of how meat gets to the plate I can't even watch Holby and Casualty, never mind real blood!

[piskieinboots]

I watch Casualty through my fingers - Snowdrop thinks me totally barking

[shirlthegirl43]

I watch Casualty through my fingers - Snowdrop thinks me totally barking

Similar, I watch from behind my pooter desk and if I think a nasty bit is coming I read the vine!!