Young Cockerel question

[Lindesu]

My experiences with cockerels have not been positive. We have had to re-home or execute a couple in the past. I recently ordered 10 new pullets to add to my dwindling and aging flock. These pullets are now about 13 weeks old. Two of them are much bigger and acting very aggressive toward one another, doing a lot of chest butting with each other. So we think we were given a couple a couple of mis-sexed chicks. I really don't want to give them a chance to get aggressive with my hens. Since this is the age that pullets can be harvested for meat, I wondered if these young cockerels could be also taken to a processor and harvested for the freezer. They've mostly been into the coop thus far, so not too muscled up yet. Thanks for advice.

 

[fluffycrow]

Are you sure they're cockerels? At this age it'd be clear. So if you'd like to be sure, you could post pictures

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since this is the age that pullets can be harvested for meat,

Since I don't understand this statement at all my response is probably not the one you are wanting. As far as I am concerned you can eat any chicken of any sex and any age, you just have to know how to cook them. At 13 weeks you will not get much meat but it should be really tender.

 

[fluffycrow]

Yup, those two are cockerels

. Usually older females help teach younger boys manners, but if you're absolutely sure you don't want them, then off they go

 

[Ridgerunner]

I personally like them to be 23 weeks old but for you I'd suggest 16 weeks might be a good age. How tough they are depends a lot on how you treat and cook them.

When you butcher them age the meat about three days in an ice chest or in the fridge. Keep them cold until rigor mortis passes. Part them out into serving pieces. Then rinse those pieces. Then put a rough cut carrot, a stalk of celery, and onion, and two cloves of garlic in the bottom of a baking dish with a lid that closes tightly. Coat the pieces if chicken with herbs. I usually use basil and oregano because I like them and grow and dehydrate them myself and usually have a couple of quarts around. Use whatever herbs you like. Thyme or parsley also work well. Flavor it however you want. Then cover and bake that for about 2-1/2 to 3 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. That's not a typo. 250 F.

When it is done carefully remove the serving pieces with a slotted spoon. Carefully, the meat could easily fall off of the bone. With one chicken you should have about a half cup of liquid in the bottom of the baking dish. If you strain that liquid you have the best chicken broth you have ever had.

After your meal come back on this thread and tell us what you thought of it.

 

[Lindesu]

Since I don't understand this statement at all my response is probably not the one you are wanting. As far as I am concerned you can eat any chicken of any sex and any age, you just have to know how to cook them. At 13 weeks you will not get much meat but it should be really tender.

Hi, admittedly, I am still a novice, though we have had this flock for several years. I was under the impression that if you want to raise them for meat, you need to butcher fairly young, when they get big enough, but haven't gotten tough.

 

[Lindesu]

Are you sure they're cockerels? At this age it'd be clear. So if you'd like to be sure, you could post pictures

I'll try to get a picture. I am not as sure as the husband. He was going mostly by size and behavior. The comb is more developed than the pullets but not very large yet. It looks like there may be some spur buds.

 

[NatJ]

Hi, admittedly, I am still a novice, though we have had this flock for several years. I was under the impression that if you want to raise them for meat, you need to butcher fairly young, when they get big enough, but haven't gotten tough.

If you want tender meat, and as much of it as possible, then yes you have to picky about when you butcher. But they are edible at any age and any size, as @Ridgerunner said.

Young ones will be more tender than old ones, while old ones are more likely to be bigger. Either way can be better, depending on your personal goals.

You can also consider whether one time is more convenient for you than another. You might be extra-busy one week, or want them gone before they crow, or have some other reason to just butcher them at a certain time regardless of size.

 

[Theorrin]

some hen will get aggressive and be dominant so they may not be mis sexed. or they could be. try to get some pictures for us. close ups of faces and the feathering around the tails as well as tail feathers

 

[Lindesu]

Feather absence hurts the keeper more than it does the hen. As long as they're not causing wounds, the hens don't really care. How old were the females that were with the cockerels?

They were the same age. As soon as the males reached full sexual maturity, the assaults started and never let up. I agree, it was more me than the girls, but they looked awful. Said I would never have another male.