U_Stormcrow
Crossing the Road
It will vary by individual rooster, within broad ranges depending upon breed. Roosters *tend* to start crowing before a hen of the same breed tends to start laying - but again, there can be considerble variation.
Is it worth it??? Up to you. I can't imagine anyone being willing to butcher a single bird for you $3 isn't worth the paperwork. But if they are? Then depending on breed, a young rooster from a primarily egg laying breed which is not a sex link (so there is no danger of getting a cockerel) will likely weight 1/2# to 1# more than a young hen of the same at butchering age.
In my experience with dual purpose "mutts" from largely egg laying stock, your yield after butchering should be about 72% +/- of the live weight - so your 4.5# live weight roo is likely 3.25# processed, yeilding 1.75-2.25# of meat, varying by breed (some tend to put on skeleton first, then muscle mass - Brahma are a good example of this - but you don't want Brahma as layers).
I butcher my own at those ages and weights, its worth it to me. Or, as Bigz said above, just buy sex link birds and avoid the risk entire - sex-links (at least, the sex links you will likely find at the farm store) are purpose built for laying.
Is it worth it??? Up to you. I can't imagine anyone being willing to butcher a single bird for you $3 isn't worth the paperwork. But if they are? Then depending on breed, a young rooster from a primarily egg laying breed which is not a sex link (so there is no danger of getting a cockerel) will likely weight 1/2# to 1# more than a young hen of the same at butchering age.
In my experience with dual purpose "mutts" from largely egg laying stock, your yield after butchering should be about 72% +/- of the live weight - so your 4.5# live weight roo is likely 3.25# processed, yeilding 1.75-2.25# of meat, varying by breed (some tend to put on skeleton first, then muscle mass - Brahma are a good example of this - but you don't want Brahma as layers).
I butcher my own at those ages and weights, its worth it to me. Or, as Bigz said above, just buy sex link birds and avoid the risk entire - sex-links (at least, the sex links you will likely find at the farm store) are purpose built for laying.
