Game Roosters any good for eating? Have a bad one...

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777funk

777funk

Chirping
6 Years
May 28, 2015
62
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We were given a game rooster and he is trying to kill our flock's 'King' who's a 1 year old New Hampshire who's had a hen to himself for about 6 months now. This game rooster seems like a pit bull and will fight the NH until he has no more fight and just runs off. However the game won't quit and chases the NH until he stops then tries to kill the NH by biting the comb, legs for arteries or the neck. He's looking for a kill and not just a win of dominance.

I suppose the only way to fix this is to put him in the freezer. Are they worth the effort of cleaning? I've eaten many pheasants over the years and never had any complaints. A game seems a little like a wild pheasant. Anyone tried a game rooster?
 
Rehome him if you can. He's just being a typical game rooster. They are very territorial birds that can not live with other males. Just the way they are hardwired. A little research could have saved you a lot of trouble.
 
I believe we'll try him in tacos. He's probably a year old but lots of testosterone already.

After seeing how ruthless he was with our rooster, I don't have much love for him. Natural instinct or not, I've seen enough.

I see why they use the leg chains on these birds. On the other hand, he's not too hateful toward humans so far... surprisingly.
 
Not all Games are the same but some strains have been bred to fight to the death. Those strains have been bred for cockfighting. There are other strains that have not been bred for cockfighting and will work in a flock. The flock we had when I was a kid had a lot of game blood in it. They were not bred for cockfighting and were really good at free-ranging. Still, any time you get a game rooster you take a chance.

Tacos sound good. Just remember that at that age he needs to be cooked slowly and moist. You might try making broth with the carcass too. He’s not all that old but mature roosters make the best broth.
 
I can see how they'd free range well. That was actually what I was hoping for in having him around. I figured maybe some good dna for future free range meat. But he's just too scrappy.

Will be processing him shortly.
 
He's now in the fridge (the best place for him here anyways). I was amazed at the difference in cleaning this bird vs the 8 week old Cornish X's. Those things the skin just peels right off. This thing's skin was like iron. The bone was a LOT harder as well.

I guess that's the difference between young Cornish X's and more mature heritage birds.
 
That was quick! Yes there is a definite difference in the quality but the meat is still edible.
 
Quote:
theoldchick said:
That was quick! Yes there is a definite difference in the quality but the meat is still edible.
Click to expand...

He required an urgent removal unfortunately. He was dead set on killing the flock rooster (7lb New Hampshire). After our rooster quit fighting, the game just kept going; chasing him all over the place for about 20 minutes and every time our rooster stopped out of exhaustion, that aggressive game fowl stuck right with him biting at his comb and digging for arteries in the neck and legs. What a gruesome bird. I'll think twice about taking a "free" game fowl next time.

This bird took a lot longer to clean than the Cornish X's did. Probably 3x longer. The bones were a LOT harder and the skin was much sturdier (can't imagine chewing it). You couldn't just rip it right off like the Cornish X's. I was discouraged last year (had heritage breed roosters) with how hard they were to clean and how tough the meat was. I suppose they just require a technique adjustment vs the young white birds.
 
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