Butchering age and feeding

[strikit]

I've chosen which of my two roosters I plan on processing. Now, can I raise him with the five others until butchering time? Or should I separate him out so I can feed him differently?

He's a leghorn, about what age should I go ahead and process?

 

[redsoxs]

You could separate the two for butchering and feed them extra scratch as well as their regular ration in order to put a little fat on them. But I think it will be only a little fat as leghorns are generally pretty scrawny. Good luck to you!

 

[donrae]

I don't think there's much you're going to be able to feed a Leghorn to put any weight on him

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I feed my layer bred cockerels basically the same as everyone else, an all-in-one feed. This last batch I did supplement heavier with the corn and scratch, mostly because I was trying to stretch feed until my next shipment. The birds I did on Friday did have a bit more fat, but it was around the intestines, not really in a place I could harvest it. The birds themselves were not so big.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

The only reason I would separate them is if you're having problems with over mating or pecking. When you say 5 others, I think you mean 1 boy and 4 girls? The boys will be ready to mate earlier than the girls. It's true that leghorns are not the meatiest but no reason not to butcher. However, if you are planning to raise birds to butcher on a regular basis, I would get a different breed altogether and butcher both of your current birds. There are plenty of breeds the lay eggs just as prolifically as WLH but with a lot more meat.

Best wishes!