18 1/2 week old Blue Laced Wyandotte

[MKetter]

At 20 weeks, Stu the Roo is in the fridge.

 

[Beau plus penny]

What about not killing him. I just don't think of wyandottes as meat birds

 

[MKetter]

What about not killing him. I just don't think of wyandottes as meat birds

They are dual purpose birds. I don’t want a rooster for a pet. My neighbors probably don’t want me to have one either.

 

[MKetter]

You can butcher him at any age you want. The question is how to cook him. Regardless of age they need to be aged past rigor mortis, allow rigor to pass or he may be so tough he is inedible.

At that age I would not fry or grill him. That leaves a lot of options. I typically butcher cockerels between 16 and 23 weeks of age and bake them. I cut into serving pieces and put that raw meat and bones in a baking dish with a good cover. I add chopped carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Also herbs like oregano, thyme, and/or basil. Bake on 250 Fahrenheit for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Remove with a slotted spoon as the meat may fall off of the bone. Strain the liquid and you have excellent chicken broth.

There are lots of other ways to cook him, crock pot, pressure cooker, or stewed are popular.

Good luck!

Would you do the same length of time if you baked it whole rather than cut up? Or would you change the temperature?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Would you do the same length of time if you baked it whole rather than cut up? Or would you change the temperature?

No

 

[MKetter]

Imagine eating Rubber bands

I understand eating rubber bands. I baked him in the oven for 3.5 hours at 250°. Since I’ve only ever had store-bought chicken, I never knew chicken could get tough. Stu the Roo was rubber bands. I guess I’ll use the carcass to make chicken stock. The meat, as you said, is like chewing rubber bands.