Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[maryhysong]

At what age do you usually cull the cockerels you will use for food? I currently have approximately 5 BCM cockerels that I will cull either for trade for food or I will put in my freezer. I am wondering what is a good age in order for them to still be tender meat. They are currently 4 months old.
CJ

I start culling as fast as I can, to give the remainder more space to grow up in. That said a 3-4 month old makes a nice tender fryer; 5 months isn't usually too bad either. 6-9 months, more like a roaster, 9-12+ either make soup or boil and shred for burros, tacos, ect. some of my original birds were too small. Going forward I'll be culling for fast growth and meat gain as of course as everything else!

 

[chicken pickin]

I start culling as fast as I can, to give the remainder more space to grow up in. That said a 3-4 month old makes a nice tender fryer; 5 months isn't usually too bad either. 6-9 months, more like a roaster, 9-12+ either make soup or boil and shred for burros, tacos, ect. some of my original birds were too small. Going forward I'll be culling for fast growth and meat gain as of course as everything else!

I agree that 3-4months(12-16weeks) is a great age to process, the meat is still tender. I have process 18 and 20 week olds also and they are also good. I don't prefer the meat of an older rooster though, I processed two 2 year olds and I didn't like the texture much.

 

[maryhysong]

I agree that 3-4months(12-16weeks) is a great age to process, the meat is still tender. I have process 18 and 20 week olds also and they are also good. I don't prefer the meat of an older rooster though, I processed two 2 year olds and I didn't like the texture much.

the secret to cooking older birds is slow and moist, but they are more stringy; that's why I prefer to make them into soup or something shredded or chopped into small bits

 

[Sweetpea3829]

My cockerels are about 4 months old and they hardly have any breast meat on them!

 

[DoubleMM]

Can for scale Chick is 5 weeks today

 

[Chick CJ]

I start culling as fast as I can, to give the remainder more space to grow up in. That said a 3-4 month old makes a nice tender fryer; 5 months isn't usually too bad either. 6-9 months, more like a roaster, 9-12+ either make soup or boil and shred for burros, tacos, ect. some of my original birds were too small. Going forward I'll be culling for fast growth and meat gain as of course as everything else!

I agree that 3-4months(12-16weeks) is a great age to process, the meat is still tender. I have process 18 and 20 week olds also and they are also good. I don't prefer the meat of an older rooster though, I processed two 2 year olds and I didn't like the texture much.

Awesome, thank you so much! I have often heard people say, "old birds are tough" but no one ever gave me the age ranges! Sounds like we could have us some tender chicken! I think we will process.

CJ

 

[cport birds]

So since were talking about the Morans, does anyone know or can advise on breeding the rooster with a Comet?

Thank you

 

[ochochicas]

My cockerels are about 4 months old and they hardly have any breast meat on them!

This is a good point. How much do the cockerels continue to grow after they reach 16 weeks? I only have one cockerel and he is 16 weeks. He's growing a lot right now, but it still pretty small. Not a lot of meat on him at this point (he weighs about 4 pounds).

 

[Metella]

simpsoncj

I don't really track ages .... I lose focus on that so fast ....

So what I do is have the roos that I'm going to cull in a batchler pen ....They have room and are outside - but not free ranging and running about - that kind of keeps the muscle tone lighter - then I feed them lots of food and when it is around Thanksgiving time - I cull them - that way the weather is cooler and their bodies can rest for a few days in cooler temps.

 

[cport birds]

What about breeding a copper Moran with a Comet? Any advise?