Dual purpose cockerels that are skin and bones.

[Ruby Rogue]

I have 2 BCM cockerels that are coming up on 15 weeks old. They are skinny as hell. They're in a mixed flock right now that eats 16% grower feed. They're not bullied and have access to food 24/7. I really need to be rid of them soon, there are too many crowing roosters and they're starting to become a nuisance. They're trying to mate with my OEGB's of the same age and I'm just not having that. I have questions.

What do you feed your dual purpose birds?
What age do you process them?
How do I get them fat fast? Can I separate them from my main flock and feed them a high protein gamebird feed, and for how long? I don't need a 10 lb bird, but it'd be nice if they dressed out at 4 at least.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I have 2 BCM cockerels that are coming up on 15 weeks old. They are skinny as hell. They're in a mixed flock right now that eats 16% grower feed. They're not bullied and have access to food 24/7. I really need to be rid of them soon, there are too many crowing roosters and they're starting to become a nuisance. They're trying to mate with my OEGB's of the same age and I'm just not having that. I have questions.

What do you feed your dual purpose birds?
What age do you process them?
How do I get them fat fast? Can I separate them from my main flock and feed them a high protein gamebird feed, and for how long? I don't need a 10 lb bird, but it'd be nice if they dressed out at 4 at least.

I feed 20% Nutrena All Flock Pellets.

For birds destined to be butchered, I add 22% Nutrena Meat bird feed on top of that.

 

[Molpet]

I feed turkey starter to everyone when I have poults.
I start butchering at 16 weeks usually I usually do all by 6 months.

 

[microchick]

Personally I've noticed my young cockerels go through a gawky gangly adolescent stage where they eat pounds of food per day and look like scarecrow chickens, all skin with little meat on them. I feed my birds chick starter until they are 8-10 weeks old and then switch them to game bird finisher. I used to start my chicks on game bird starter but after some youngsters with coccidia decided that a medicated feed was the way to go. Since I did that no problems.

IMHO I agree with the other posters. You need more bang for your buck in the form of a higher protein feed. You can even add additional protein in the form of scrambled eggs or tuna.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Thanks for all the responses! I like the egg idea, currently sitting on a tonne of quail eggs that no one eats but me. I have some Cornish X leaving soon and I think when they do, I'll move the 2 boys into their space and switch up their diet with the advice given. Any more comments are always welcome.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

BCM = Black Copper Maran?

I've no experience with that breed if that's the case. A lot of "dual purpose" birds, particularly hatchery stock, are just chunky egg layers, as opposed to meaty birds that lay eggs if you follow. My own culling project I'm selectively removing birds in hopes of breeding up to a 5.5 or 6# cockerel at 16 weeks. Which would be a 3.5-4# carcass. I've had a few successes I culled for other reasons, but in the main, I'm seeing cokerels at 4-5# at that age.

Generally, higher protein is the way to go - 16% is bare minimum for any bird. I'm at 18% and free ranging, my hatchlings have been getting 24% to 6 weeks. Free ranging, of course, helps with the feed bill, but it doesn't help them put on weight.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What do you feed your dual purpose birds?

If a broody hen raises them they are raised with the flock from Day 1. I feed all of them an 18% starter/grower for the first month with oyster shell on the side for the hens laying eggs. After a month I switch back to a 16% protein for all of them, still with oyster shell on the side. They also forage for a lot of their food, vegetation, any creepy crawlies they can catch, and they get kitchen wastes and stuff from the garden..

For my brooder raised chicks (boys and girls) they get 18% protein at first but by either 5 or 8 weeks (depending on how crowded it is) they are foraging with the flock so they eat what the flock eats.

What age do you process them?

I try to never butcher a cockerel before 16 weeks and try to finish all of them by 23 weeks. I butcher my excess pullets around 8 months, after I've seen what eggs they are laying and have decided which I am not keeping with the flock. I retire my older hens at 2-1/2 years and replace them with those selected pullets. As one of my goals is to play with genetics I tend to replace my 1-1/2 year old rooster with a new cockerel every season. All this suits my goals and how I want to cook them.

How do I get them fat fast? Can I separate them from my main flock and feed them a high protein gamebird feed, and for how long?

Personally I don't bother, mine are typically raised with the flock until butcher. Size isn't that important with me. There are only two of us so I can get two meals out of a pullet. When I select which cockerel to keep for breeding size is a criteria, I like that extra meat for my lunches after we get those two meals.

You can absolutely separate them and feed them special. Sounds like you have a good set-up for that. I can't help with details for that as I don't do it.

I don't need a 10 lb bird, but it'd be nice if they dressed out at 4 at least.

With dual purpose birds you may be feeding them a while. If you got them from a breeder that breeds them for size it may not be too bad. But, as mentioned above, hatchery birds or birds from most backyard flocks are not bred for size or rapid growth. Even with a high-powered feed it can take a while and they may never get that big. If size and cost efficient feed-to-meat ratio is your criteria stick to Cornish X or Rangers for meat.

To get much meat on them, dual purpose cockerels are going to be quite a bit older than CX or Rangers. And they will almost certainly hit puberty. Age and, even more, the hormones of puberty will add flavor and texture to them. Some of us like that extra flavor, some call it gamey and do not care for it. The change in texture affects how you cook it compared to what you can do with CX or Rangers. Unless you take that texture difference into account you can wind up with some really tough meat.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Thanks for your informative reply @Ridgerunner

Maybe I'll just send them off to butcher with the meat birds in a week... I'm not sure about their genetics, they came from a backyard breeder who probably at some point got their stock from a hatchery. If they may never get much bigger, I might as well have it done with now around 16 weeks to save the flavor and texture of a younger bird.

 

[Parront]

Thanks for your informative reply @Ridgerunner

Maybe I'll just send them off to butcher with the meat birds in a week... I'm not sure about their genetics, they came from a backyard breeder who probably at some point got their stock from a hatchery. If they may never get much bigger, I might as well have it done with now around 16 weeks to save the flavor and texture of a younger bird.

My rule is when they get too annoying, pestering the pullets, crowing, like you said. Whatever size they are then is the size I eat. Some layer breeds, that is 2 pounds or even less. These 2 boys fit that description. Hatched: 5/4/21 processed 8/3, so about 12 weeks old. The larger one is a Red Dorking, a traditional meat breed, and the smaller is a Barred Holland, a dual purpose breed from the 1930's -- now rare. 2 3/4 for the Dorking, just over 2 for the Holland. Beer can included for size reference, and future Beer Can Chicken usage!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

no beer in that picture. M Ultra is made with rice, its a malt beverage.