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I process more depending on size than age. I like my birds to dress out between 5 and 6 pounds. With Dellys Usually that can be any time between 18 and 24 weeks (around 4 and 6 months). Roosters are usually between 8 and 10 pounds live weight hens closer to 7 or 8. They are usually fully grown by then. Since I keep the ones that grow fastest with the best feather pattern(has to be a good looking well rounded bird) right now the birds I am processing are not quite what I am looking for (they are basically culls, the smaller slower growing birds) but the more that I keep the best birds and cull out the less perfect, the closer to perfect my meaties will get. I am hoping for having them process ready between 16 and 24 weeks and to get larger meatier birds as I go but I'm not to that stage yet. I am still kind of in the beginning of the program, just feeling my way but I am liking the results I get so far. I do rest my birds after processing until they are less stiff and I salt water brine them or marinate them with my cooking seasonings before cooking them which makes the meat much more tender. The article I read on processing Heritage birds said that you can process roasters ( which is what I mainly use) any time between 6 months and a year the only difference is that you would cook the older roasters slower and at a lower temp, 300 degrees for 30 minutes per pound versus 375 for 20 per pound which is what is suggested for store bought birds.
I would also like to add to the list of breeders (Love Whitore birds and their look) for Delawares:
1. Paul Harter who sells chicks but not hatching eggs for his birds,
2. Sandhill is another good source they do both Dellys and Brahmas and their birds look really good.
3. Stacy Tate also does nice heritage Dellys
My program for my Brahmas is similar to the Dellys. Boys are between 12 and 13 pounds live weight and girls between 8 and 10. They can be processed at around 18 weeks and will dress out 5 to 6 pounds (7 to 8 pounds live weight). My boys seem to grow a bit slower than the girls but they are both seeming pretty large and well built. Haven't processed them yet but this is what I have gotten for information from the breeders who sold me the eggs for my birds and it seems right on the money. My birds by 8 weeks surpassed my other large fowl birds in size and weight but kept the temperament of a lap chicken. The only negative is that they are very shy of new people and take a bit to warm up but they will follow me around for treats wherever I go.
I hope this helps.
I process more depending on size than age. I like my birds to dress out between 5 and 6 pounds. With Dellys Usually that can be any time between 18 and 24 weeks (around 4 and 6 months). Roosters are usually between 8 and 10 pounds live weight hens closer to 7 or 8. They are usually fully grown by then. Since I keep the ones that grow fastest with the best feather pattern(has to be a good looking well rounded bird) right now the birds I am processing are not quite what I am looking for (they are basically culls, the smaller slower growing birds) but the more that I keep the best birds and cull out the less perfect, the closer to perfect my meaties will get. I am hoping for having them process ready between 16 and 24 weeks and to get larger meatier birds as I go but I'm not to that stage yet. I am still kind of in the beginning of the program, just feeling my way but I am liking the results I get so far. I do rest my birds after processing until they are less stiff and I salt water brine them or marinate them with my cooking seasonings before cooking them which makes the meat much more tender. The article I read on processing Heritage birds said that you can process roasters ( which is what I mainly use) any time between 6 months and a year the only difference is that you would cook the older roasters slower and at a lower temp, 300 degrees for 30 minutes per pound versus 375 for 20 per pound which is what is suggested for store bought birds.
I would also like to add to the list of breeders (Love Whitore birds and their look) for Delawares:
1. Paul Harter who sells chicks but not hatching eggs for his birds,
2. Sandhill is another good source they do both Dellys and Brahmas and their birds look really good.
3. Stacy Tate also does nice heritage Dellys
My program for my Brahmas is similar to the Dellys. Boys are between 12 and 13 pounds live weight and girls between 8 and 10. They can be processed at around 18 weeks and will dress out 5 to 6 pounds (7 to 8 pounds live weight). My boys seem to grow a bit slower than the girls but they are both seeming pretty large and well built. Haven't processed them yet but this is what I have gotten for information from the breeders who sold me the eggs for my birds and it seems right on the money. My birds by 8 weeks surpassed my other large fowl birds in size and weight but kept the temperament of a lap chicken. The only negative is that they are very shy of new people and take a bit to warm up but they will follow me around for treats wherever I go.
I hope this helps.
