Can I eat Orpinton Roos at 28 weeks?

[BawkBawkBeep]

I want to make sure they are as big as possible. I've been told that at some point you can't eat roos anymore, but they seem to have a growth spurt before 28 weeks. How old can they get before you can't eat them?

 

[Habibs Hens]

thats the first i heard

you can eat chicken

roos or hens at any age you feel comfortable with

 

[naillikwj82]

Well we have a 2 year old Orp Rooster, 10 pounds, who is still performing his services. I will assure you that someday his final service will be performed in a large slow cooker! He will be delicious too!

 

[BawkBawkBeep]

But I've heard that after they mature, their meat gets tough or the taste is affected. I've seen people who harvest roos when they start crowing for this reason.

 

[Habibs Hens]

But I've heard that after they mature, their meat gets tough or the taste is affected. I've seen people who harvest roos when they start crowing for this reason.

thats hormones mate

when roos want a bit of nookie nokkie that secrete hormones which YES makes the meat tough

so a solution is caponising the roo that keeps the meat tender longer as no hormones get secreted

 

[Ridgerunner]

Everybody is different and has different tastes. A lot of people do different things.

I just ate a rooster that was over a year old. He spent about 10 hours in the crock pot on low heat. The meat was a little stringy and I needed to floss after I ate, but he was delicious. A little chewy, but delicious. If I had tried to fry him, he would have been inedible as far as I'm concerned.

I purposely won't harvest a cockerel until he is at least 15 weeks old and I prefer 18 weeks. To me, they taste better. But I also coook them slow and with moisture.

 

[Habibs Hens]

Well we have a 2 year old Orp Rooster, 10 pounds, who is still performing his services. I will assure you that someday his final service will be performed in a large slow cooker! He will be delicious too!

he is far to beautiful to cull

although i understand and would do the same but would find it real hard to do it and beleive me i have a srong stomach and have culled bulls before

 

[naillikwj82]

Yes, age does alter the taste, for the better. They actually taste more like chicken, vs the 6 week old, bland tasteless birds available at your market today. There is no dark meat on today's chicken, they are processed before dark meat can develop (from exercize). Old roosters are almost entirely dark meat. People have become accustomed to today's mass produced birds.
Silverfox0786- I only have one working rooster, we caponize ALL cockerals, and the resulting capons are indeed the best way to utilize them. Capons IMHO are indeed at the very top for poultry meat production. Regarding our present rooster, should a larger cornish type become available his services will no longer be required. Look to improve your flock.
jeff

 

[booker81]

28 weeks is still perfectly edible - tasty if you give them a nice extended resting time to really let the muscle fibers relax and break down. A lower temp and moisture keeps it more tender,. It wouldn't bode well for a quick fried chicken, but it's still definitely something to make a meal from!

 

[montyhp]

I agree with others. We processed our 2 year old Roo last week. Cooked him in the crock pot for 8 hours (coq au vin), and he was delicious. Usually I don't like crock put chicken because they get so mushy, but his meat held together and was great tasting.