Comparative Characterisation of Meat Quality, Nutritional Composition, and Flavour Profile in Wuhua Yellow Chickens (Gallus Domesticus) Assessed by Multi-Analytical Approaches

Wuhua Yellow Chicken (WYC) is a Guangdong heritage breed known for its characteristic “three yellow” phenotype and distinctive meat flavour. Despite its commercial importance, data on muscle flavour chemistry remain scarce. In this study, 180 one-day-old chicks (90 cocks, 90 hens, 18 replicates of 5 chickens per sex) were raised to 20 weeks under cage conditions, after which slaughter traits, meat physicochemical indices, proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and volatile compounds were measured. Cocks were heavier and had higher eviscerated yields and leg muscle percentages, whereas hens accumulated more abdominal fat (6.47–0.46%, p < 0.01). Shear force was greater in cock breast muscle (2.86–2.13 kg·f, p < 0.01), indicating firmer texture. Cock breast muscle contained more crude protein (26.89%) and less crude fat. Amino acid totals were identical between sexes (21.10 g/100 g), with all six essential amino acids surpassing FAO/WHO reference values; lysine scored highest (168%). Unsaturated fatty acid proportions were 63.33% (cocks) and 66.64% (hens), with PUFA/SFA ratios of 61.95% and 53.60%, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry identified 10 volatile compounds in cocks and 14 in hens; aldehydes dominated in both, with hexanal alone accounting for over 50%. Hen muscle contained a richer volatile profile, including additional ketone and ester compounds. These data collectively confirm that WYC is nutritionally dense, organoleptically appealing, and well-suited for further breed promotion.