What do I feex extra roosters for "freezer canp"?

UGLYFOOT

Songster
8 Years
Apr 5, 2015
556
91
176
Spirit Lake, Idaho
I am dubbing this the "Year of the Rooster" at Fowl Creation Farm. I am overrun with cockerels! I have already processed 5 Black Copper Marans at 4.5 months of age. They did not have a large amount of meat. I have MANY more of different LF breeds up and coming. What can I feed these guys to put some meat on them before I process. What age is best before they get too tough?
 
Higher protein feed will add some weight but in general you've got what you've got so process them at what age is appropriate for how you want to cook them. Age of bird is broiler, fryer, roaster and stew, in that order, up to 14 weeks, 18 weeks, year and over year old respectively. Maybe you can still fry a bird a bit over 18 weeks but after that age it's a roaster or stew bird. I've roasted year old cocks if brined first. Many stick with 6 month mark for roasting. Each age mark is the oldest a bird can be cooked that method. In other words you can stew a broiler but at the other end of spectrum you can only stew a stew bird.
 
By year old I mean 12 months. That may not have been clear. Basically I'll have choices of breeders still come spring. Make my final selection and still roast that bird. Many feel anything over 9 months is stew, pot pie, crock pot dishes only.
 

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