So yours were about 24-30 weeks old? How did you cook it? I'm at 30 weeks and hope to cull this weekend. One of the Heritage recipes I have, places the seasoned bird in a granitware roaster at 300 degrees without any water added. Kind of a hyrbid method between a high tempature dry roast and brazing. I hope mine is not too tuff for this method.
I've been cooking the largest birds first, so about 30 weeks, maybe 32 max. I've used a graniteware roaster at 300 degrees, which had the best results. Also a crockpot, no water.
The texture of these Dels is so much more tender than others that I have cooked at this same age. Even the legs are perfectly tender.
I never brine my chicken, btw. I do age it for 3 days in a cooler before freezing.
Ours are about 36-40 weeks at butchering. I do exactly the same as you... No brine, cooler on ice for 3 days then into the freezer.