Are all breed "meat birds"

[RichardK]

I've got just a random mix of chickens and it's time to ditch the bulk of my roosters.
If I cant find anybody who wants them cheap I'm gonna have to kill them, rather than feed a useless bird...
I'd rather not kill senselessly, so wondering if all breeds taste the same, and are as edible as a breed bred for meat.
Thanks

 

[sourland]

All chickens are edible. Some may be tastier and more tender than others, but there are many recipes that will make even old, tough roosters taste good.

 

[RichardK]

All chickens are edible. Some may be tastier and more tender than others, but there are many recipes that will make even old, tough roosters taste good.

Mine are between 3-4 months and getting loud/aggressive now, have about 8 that need to go this weekend, and more will follow I'm sure.

 

[Gray Farms]

All chickens are edible. Some may be tastier and more tender than others, but there are many recipes that will make even old, tough roosters taste good.

Agreed 100%, Well put.

 

[Gray Farms]

Mine are between 3-4 months and getting loud/aggressive now, have about 8 that need to go this weekend, and more will follow I'm sure.

Most large breed cockerels 3-4 months old make great fryers. I usually butcher mine at that age.

 

[woodmort]

If they are too skinny to use for frying, you can always cook up them for stock for soup or stew.

 

[aart]

I slaughter cockerels at 14-16 weeks for grilling.
Make sure you rest the cleaned carcasses for 2-3 days in the fridge, no matter how you plan to cook them, or they may be unchewable.
The older the bird the longer I rest them and the more tender the meat.
Will still be more 'toothsome' compared to those baby grocery birds or even home grown CX.
Layer breeds won't have much meat on them,
but the bone stock is 'killer'(pun intended).

 

[CJLR]

All chickens are edible. Some may be tastier and more tender than others, but there are many recipes that will make even old, tough roosters taste good.

here are some good homesteaders who have chicken butchering video tutorials
1 Weed em and reap
2 art and bri
3 justin rhodes
4 sow the land

 

[bbond]

Stew is always good and save the bones for a bone broth. Make sure to use the feet too. Not kidding. There’s a ton of collagen in chicken feet.

 

[Mosey2003]

3-4 months is as good as you're gonna get on a non-broiler type. Do them up now, see what you get. Any chicken can be eaten, just depends on how to cook them properly.

One of the nice things about the less meaty birds is that if you filet off the breasts, they're the perfect thickness for sandwiches, etc. Store-bought breasts need to be sliced so that they're thin enough to cook evenly, low-performing dual purpose ones are just right on their own.