Yeah, the free mystery chicks are always male. So you get to see exotic breed roos before you eat them.
I agree with all the others. Low temp, slow roasting works great for excess roos in that age range. I do it all the time, they're yummy. Remember, if it's not tender, it's not done yet. Put the lid back on, stick it back in the oven. When the leg joints move easily, and meat is easy to pull off with a fork, they're done. Depending on age, gender, and breed of the bird, it can take anywhere from 3 hours to 6. (The temp range can be anywhere from 200 to 300, remember, the slower it's cooked, the more tender it will be) If it isn't brown at that point, you can take the lid off, increase the temp, (pour off the broth/drippings) and let it brown for about 15-20 minutes.
Make gravy with the drippings/broth in the pan. If there's no liquid to speak of in the pan, you can add some water, and let it sit while the oven gets hotter, to loosen the browned bits in the bottom of the pan, and get that flavor into the liquid.
In case you don't know how, here's how you make broth gravy: Heat the broth to a simmer in a sauce pan. Add a little ground black pepper if desired, taste to see if the broth is too salty. If so, add a little water to dilute it. Otherwise, just mix a tablespoon or two of corn starch with just enough cold water to make a thin liquid, about like milk. Not too much water, you don't want to loose all the flavor in the broth. Stir the water/starch mixture into the simmering broth. It will thicken quickly. If too thin, mix up a little more to add, until it's the consistency you want. It's great over mashed potatoes, or to dip the meat in.
Sometimes I leave the broth as is, put it in cups, split open and toast hard rolls, make sandwiches out of the meat and have chicken-dip sandwiches, just like those delicious French dips, only with chicken instead of beef. It's very good!
With the cooking time being somewhat unpredictable, I like to start them early in the day, and then when it's done early, you can stick it in the fridge for awhile, and reheat/brown at dinnertime. Or some or plan, just so you won't have hungry people breathing down your neck when it isn't done yet.
If you think they are too many and bothering the girls, then separate the males so there are only males and then you will not have problems at all. Hope this helps? Possibly depends upon the breed...age...but for cornishX's, no difference in meat or temperments, just bigger or smaller birds/meals.
