Advice on treating the face of a "Biter"

[HeatherKellyB]

I think old hens are delicious, roosters not so much. I've eaten a few, but no matter how long you rest or cook them, they're still too tough and stringy for me.

A 20 month old rooster will still make wonderful stock, right? Or in your opinion, is it not worth the trouble of processing? I've got two roosters that are jerks and need to be culled, both of them almost 2 years old. I probably won't do both on the same day if I have to do it myself (I have psoriatic arthritis and other health issues).

How old is generally too old to enjoy for a rooster?

I seriously appreciate every single one of the replies from everyone. I hope they'll nourish us, in a delicious way, so I'm definitely going to attempt this. Looks like these boys will be providing more than I ever anticipated. The learning part of all of this is priceless

 

[Ebony Rose]

Oh yeah, he'll make great stock, and if you find he's too tough for human consumption, your chickens and dogs will love their chance at that chewy dude!
One of my favorite chicken stock recipes is to bring some stock to a simmer, add sliced green onion or finely minced white or yellow onion to the stock, cook until the onion is soft, then drop/drizzle a beaten egg into the broth and gently, slowly stir the egg causing it to make strings. Salt & Black pepper to taste. Viola! Egg drop soup!

 

[aart]

I think old hens are delicious, roosters not so much. I've eaten a few, but no matter how long you rest or cook them, they're still too tough and stringy for me.

To be honest I've only slaughtered one old male.
Can't remember how his meat was,
but you can always cut the meat across the grain into small pieces.

 

[Geena]

A 20 month old rooster will still make wonderful stock, right? Or in your opinion, is it not worth the trouble of processing?

How old is generally too old to enjoy for a rooster?

Yes, definitely still good for stock.

Whether it's worth the trouble of processing depends on your point of view. Once testosterone sets in the muscle, ligaments and tendons become much stronger, which of course is why male food animals are generally castrated at a young age. For that reason older roosters are by far the most difficult to process. It can even be a challenge to separate the skin from the meat, especially on the back. I gut, skin, and put them into the stock pot whole, as they are way harder to break down than a female or younger male bird.

For us it's worth it, but we generally feed all the older birds to the dogs. We also butcher and cook down deer for dog food. Portions are measured out into baggies and put in the freezer for later use. We put up 100 + lbs of chicken and deer meat for the dogs each year. Saves money and is good for the dogs.

 

[NatJ]

you can always cut the meat across the grain into small pieces.

Yes, this will make any chicken easy to chew

Than use it in any dish that calls for cooked, chopped chicken. Recipes that call for leftover turkey work too.

 

[Riverjoy]

Honey and/or vaseline are great on wounds.

 

[sera phine]

You might try 1 baby aspirin for pain and that might help reduce her fighting you. I used 1 baby aspirin twice a day on a bird who injured her leg very badly. Pain can make anyone fight treatment. Good luck

FYI: I'd go with the super glue!!!!!! but I live in california where weed is legal. I did minor surgery on my chicken's sheet by going her a teeny tiny piece of a medical gummy. Surgery went well. I poured iodine on the quarter size hole in her chest; wrapped her in a blood provention bandage wrap; then covered the white gauze wrap in a black self sticking ace type bandage. I used the black cover to camouflage the bandage from the other birds. I figured if I could keep a bandage on MY foot for 2 weeks after surgery, I could leave the wrap on a chicken at least the long. When I removed it, the area was scabbed over, clean and she is now no worse off for being stoned for about an hour. Of course she was watched for a few days before allowed to socialize and free range.

 

[sera phine]

Honey and/or vaseline are great on wounds.

BACTERIA CAN NOT, DOES NOT GROW IN HONEY!!!

 

[KakawKakaw]

When I had 2 younger roosters who were fighting for cock-of -the- walk, one of them ended up getting all bloodied on his wattle and neck. I couldn't even catch him. He was pretty aggressive toward me (that's another story) but he needed to be treated so I waited until they were well roosted and I snuck in with my husband and took him off the roost. My husband held him and I treated him. We had him in a towel and kind of had him on his back. It worked. I later found a new home for him. Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

 

[Cluckminster Fuller]

I use a spray and hold them upside down by the legs and they don't struggle. But you would have to find a way to protect the eyes from a spray of the wattle.
Once I had an injured roo and also a bag of chick feed with antibiotics and I isolated and fed him that and it worked to quell the infection. And it was serious--bumblefoot. I figured I didn't have anything to lose to try it.
It still helps to have another person to hold or spray or smear on antibiotic ointment. Wear gloves to protect your hands.