Can you eat Cornish Cross roosters?

[Ol Grey Mare]

Really? So I guess the big chicken houses just buy straight run?

Yes - the commercial growers use Cornish Cross and as these are processed so young there is no need to bother with sexing as both genders are well suited to the intended purpose, same applies to backyard growers who use Cornish Cross for their meat birds.

 

[junebuggena]

True, I didn't think about that. As far as the huge breasts, that is always a plus, but I think (it may all be in my head) but the smaller birds seem to taste better even if they don't have as much meat.

That's because it takes them longer to grow. And they don't spend their lives right next to the feeders. A 14 to 16 week old dual-purpose cockerel will have more flavor since he's older, and has spent his days running around and being a chicken, eating bugs and grass and things other than only feed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

As others have said, age is a huge factor in both flavor and toughness. This is true for pork, beef, and other meats as well as chicken. The older they get the more flavor and texture the meat has. What they eat also has an effect but in my opinion, a smaller effect. Still, it does make a difference. Another factor in cockerels is that after they hit puberty the flavor of the meat will get stronger and have more texture. Those hormones have a strong effect once they kick in.

The age you butcher them has a big effect on how you need to cook them. The Cornish Cross are butchered so young you can fry or grill them. If you wait on butchering dual purpose chickens, especially cockerels, until they get some size and meat on them, frying or grilling may not be the optimum way to cook them. We all have our own tastes on that. I prefer to wait until cockerels are at least 18 weeks and prefer a month older to butcher, but I cook them slowly and with moisture. I don’t try to fry or grill.

 

[eviemethugh]

You also have to remember that Cornish X have a conversion of 2-3lbs of feed to produce 1 lb of bird. Rangers are 3-4lbs per lb. And Heritage are 3-5+lbs of feed to get 1 lb of bird. So your feed costs double, and your time investment could triple.
We spent more than 18 weeks last year growing out 100 meat birds. This year, I was over it, and happily spent 8-9 weeks growing 100 Cornish X, free range, with limited feed and lots of exercise, moving their coop that they slept in every day to fresh pasture so they wouldn't stink, and it was like a MIRACLE! We were able to go on an awesome worry free vacation a few weeks after processing! And I don't have that hanging over my head all summer. Of course, I got bored and bought 20 egg layers and 2 pigs the week we got back...HA, but at least I don't have those dang meat chickens still hanging around. Plus when we processed, it was actually a little chilly outside! A welcome change from processing in the middle of the summer!

 

[Jsweevil]

You also have to remember that Cornish X have a conversion of 2-3lbs of feed to produce 1 lb of bird. Rangers are 3-4lbs per lb. And Heritage are 3-5+lbs of feed to get 1 lb of bird. So your feed costs double, and your time investment could triple.
We spent more than 18 weeks last year growing out 100 meat birds. This year, I was over it, and happily spent 8-9 weeks growing 100 Cornish X, free range, with limited feed and lots of exercise, moving their coop that they slept in every day to fresh pasture so they wouldn't stink, and it was like a MIRACLE! We were able to go on an awesome worry free vacation a few weeks after processing! And I don't have that hanging over my head all summer. Of course, I got bored and bought 20 egg layers and 2 pigs the week we got back...HA, but at least I don't have those dang meat chickens still hanging around. Plus when we processed, it was actually a little chilly outside! A welcome change from processing in the middle of the summer!

You have a good point. My biggest problem is that my husband lets them out every morning and he is starting to hate the thought of them being meat. I suppose it would be harder to do it they hung around for a lot longer.

I appreciate the thoughts of free range too. I was wondering if I was doing wrong by cutting back on food since they have a lot of room to forage. You made me feel a lot better that I am not starving the chickens! Of course they still come running every time I open the back door. Gluttons.

 

[CluckerCottage]

Our CX flock is going to be butchered this coming weekend. The second one has 6 weeks to go.
It can be hard to do for first timers but just remember why you bought them as chicks, fed them high quality food and free ranged them for 8-9 weeks.
You will be very pleased AND proud when you and your family sit down to that juicy chicken dinner.
Best wishes to you!

 

[cassie]

That has more to do with age than anything. Young chickens are more tender but less flavorful than older birds.

 

[IrishFarmGirl]

I appreciate everyone's answers, you have all been very helpful! I'm not sure I will raise cornish crosses again, they are ridiculously fast growers, but I think I would rather have a dual purpose breed instead. These things are like frankenchickens.

Unfortunately, that is the exact point of the Cornish Cross meat chickens. They grow quickly and are able to be butchered quickly, thus why they're used in commercial chicken farming. So, if you assume there is a 50/50 chance the chick will be a male, about 1/2 of all chickens eaten are male. One thing you can do to slow growth a little bit that I've had some luck with is to remove the food from the pen at night (leave water, obviously) and if you have the room, let them roam around a bit outside. We usually end up being able to butcher at 12 weeks instead of 7-8 weeks if we do that.

 

[Jsweevil]

Unfortunately, that is the exact point of the Cornish Cross meat chickens. They grow quickly and are able to be butchered quickly, thus why they're used in commercial chicken farming. So, if you assume there is a 50/50 chance the chick will be a male, about 1/2 of all chickens eaten are male. One thing you can do to slow growth a little bit that I've had some luck with is to remove the food from the pen at night (leave water, obviously) and if you have the room, let them roam around a bit outside. We usually end up being able to butcher at 12 weeks instead of 7-8 weeks if we do that.

I have been removing their food at night since they were maybe 5 weeks old? I can't remember exactly. They also have a lot of area to forage in so I am saving a bit of money that way. They do have access to food, but they also have access to plenty of grass and insects. I was wondering if I could put off butchering till maybe 10 weeks instead of 8 (which would be this week) due to a very full schedule for the next few weeks. Thanks for the info!

 

[Jsweevil]

Our CX flock is going to be butchered this coming weekend. The second one has 6 weeks to go.
It can be hard to do for first timers but just remember why you bought them as chicks, fed them high quality food and free ranged them for 8-9 weeks.
You will be very pleased AND proud when you and your family sit down to that juicy chicken dinner.
Best wishes to you!

Oh definitely. I am usually the one who does the butchering, because my husband gets too attached to them. I haven't had Cornish X's before, but I have had plenty of experience in both chicken and rabbit processing. My daughter usually helps, but she can't do the killing, so that is part of my job. After they are dead, she can do everything from there. Killing an animal is never easy or joyful, but I rest peacefully knowing they had a good life.