I am not sure I would want to take them up to that size. We like our meat here, but I cook up a 5-6 pound CRX and we get tired of it before it is gone. I need to find more recipes to jazz things up with chicken.
I know what you mean about the taste of a bird that gets too old. I had to butcher several extra males this last fall and you can tell the difference in the texture and taste, and it isn't always for the better. I like the flavor of the CRX, but I don't like raising them because they are on the freakish side in my opinion. I am going to have quite a few extra boys as hatching as many as I am this year is going to prove. I know that I can pick out some with flaws early on and I need to do something to make them worth feeding. I figured this way I can get better tasting birds and maybe offer some to my friends and neighbors as well.
I have been reading a lot about it being banned to caponize birds, but I sure as heck don't understand why? It isn't banned for castrating sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, etc. Why wouldn't it be okay to do chickens? That is crazy.
Thanks for you help with this. I am really looking forward to trying this out. I have chicks in the brooder already and more hatching today/tonight/tomorrow. I am putting close to 50 in each week and the numbers are going up. You KNOW I am going to have plenty to work with. I figure I can at least do the crossbreed males I will have as I am putting all my green eggs in to hatch for Easter Egger pullets.
Take care and I WILL post my progress with my new endeavor.
-Minnie