Barred Rock roos - what age will they have some meat on them?

[xC0000005]

In my 26 chick order from McMurray I got two barred rocks. One has beautiful black feathers with white stripes. The other is white with thin black stripes and has a comb like a pink sawblade already, so I'm guessing it is a he. I'm not terribly upset (they say 90% accuracy), since I figure this is the closest I'll ever get to eating a zebra, but right now there's nothing to him. So at what age do you think a barred rock is going to have a little heft to him?

And will he be like eating shoe leather at that point?

 

[Fred's Hens]

The Rock cockerel is very good eating at 16-18 weeks. That is the sweet spot. Big enough to have some meat and young enough to reasonably tender. That is what we do, but others prefer them as "fryers", that is, butchering them at 14 weeks.

So much also depends on your handling, dispatching and meat resting techniques.

 

[xC0000005]

Thanks. Based on that answer It appears that my little zebra has a terminal condition (I get hungry). I've giving him three months to live, more or less, and I'll try to handle with care.