Other poultry species
Poultry meat is not just chicken or turkey
Other, less popular poultry species are certainly more difficult to find, but can undoubtedly be a culinary curiosity on our tables. These include pheasants, partridges, ostriches and also pigeons – considered to be one of the oldest varieties of domesticated fowl.
Knowledge of these poultry species is often insufficient and it may seem that their rearing is a rare phenomenon. Nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from the high quality of the meat obtained from them, these birds – as in the case of pheasants or partridges – are often used for hunting or bred for exhibition purposes, such as pigeons.
The following is the most important information on poultry varieties which, alongside the traditional species – such as chicken, goose, turkey or duck – are commonly reared and used for production purposes.
Other, less popular poultry varieties are certainly more difficult to find, but can undoubtedly be a culinary curiosity on our tables. Among them are pheasants, partridges, ostriches and also pigeons – considered to be one of the oldest varieties of domesticated fowl.
Pheasant
The pheasant is native to Asia and is farmed in Poland for meat production, rearing of individuals for release and breeding for hunting purposes. There are approximately 462,000 birds in the wild. Pheasants show marked differences between males and females (so-called sexual dimorphism).
Pheasant breeding distinguishes between open and closed breeding. Open housing consists of keeping the birds in a fenced area with an aviary in which they can adapt to the environment and protect themselves from predators. In addition, the area should be wooded and bushy so that pheasants can create hiding places and have perches. Feeders must be roofed.
If pheasants are kept for meat, intensive feeding with commercial feed or feed prepared by the farmer is used. Pheasants are kept until about 16 weeks of age and then gain a weight of about 1-1.2 kg.
Partridges
Partridges are small birds used in Poland mainly for hunting. There are 6 species of partridge in the world, but in our country only the common partridge is used.
Birds bred for meat production are reared to the age of 3 months. Throughout this period, they are kept indoors and are fed complete feed mixtures. Partridge meat is extremely tender and contains very little fat.
Pigeons
Homing pigeons are a domesticated form of the rock pigeon and their history can date back up to 6,000 years. Pigeons provided people with meat, eggs and, over time, also became a means of communication.
Pigeon breeding in Poland is mainly of a hobby nature: flight-pigeon and ornamental.
In the case of intensive breeding for meat, pigeons of heavier breeds are kept in aviaries or cages. Pigeon meat is highly valued in many parts of the world for its taste and nutritional qualities.
Ostrich
Ostriches are the largest birds – males can measure up to 3 metres and weigh 150 kg. Females are smaller – they grow up to 2 metres and reach a body weight of about 110 kg. These birds reach slaughter maturity at about 10-12 months of age and their diet is mainly based on vegetable feeds – cereals, soya beans, sunflower seeds, meal and roughage.
African ostrich farming became very popular in Poland a few years ago. About 90% of the meat is produced for export. On the Polish market, ostrich meat and eggs are considered a delicatessen product and are mainly consumed on agro-tourism farms. Ostrich meat has excellent taste and nutritional qualities. It is also characterised by low fat and cholesterol content.
