Here is a photo of my last freezer camp cockerel. Before is first right out of the freezer in a gallon zip lock bag and after is the next photos. You could add terriaki and pineapples, I just use mushroom soup and rice in my crock pot!Huli-huli chicken?!! I don't think I have the heart for it... YET. But actually, I am not that far away from it either...
They are much better than a store chicken.
They have less breast meat than a bird from the store. You can not put a store bird in the crock pot for that dinner, it is too mushy and tasteless, just my opinion. The one in the photo was 14 weeks, they were crowing too much to wait longer. He was about 2 1/2 pounds. Some keep them to 18-24 weeks for a larger bird, but I like the way they cook at the younger end of the range, as young as 10 weeks for some annoying little guys! That is BBQ age, to me. Half a bird per person. Baste them with teriyaki, YUM!
You are starting to talk me into it... well, you and thinking about trying to rehome a bunch of cockerels again...They have less breast meat than a bird from the store. You can not put a store bird in the crock pot for that dinner, it is too mushy and tasteless, just my opinion. The one in the photo was 14 weeks, they were crowing too much to wait longer. He was about 2 1/2 pounds. Some keep them to 18-24 weeks for a larger bird, but I like the way they cook at the younger end of the range, as young as 10 weeks for some annoying little guys! That is BBQ age, to me. Half a bird per person. Baste them with teriyaki, YUM!
Older than this guy, I put in the pressure cooker. I like to make pressure cooker fried chicken, I posted the recipe I use.
the last 3 hatches have been brutal in their ratio, enough to cool me off of the bigger hatches for awhile. Too much work.
Here's hoping he keeps his respect!
I do them myself. I have done as many as 15 in one day, when I was younger! Lately, my limit is 5, LOL. I have a younger BYC member that I was showing how to do it as my helper. Cockerels are not easy to "Re-home"! Their home is the freezer. My freezer is small, so I do them in small batches! Small boys fit in the small freezer.You are starting to talk me into it... well, you and thinking about trying to rehome a bunch of cockerels again...
Well, I guess I will see if I have the courage this next little hatch, better than a 50/50 the way my head is now.
You must have a processor? How many birds do you do a week/month/year?
You can keep them in a cooler on ice for a couple of days to age them and then have a luau! No freezer needed. I think I had about 20 cockerels this past year. Some people think it is not worth their time for the small birds I have, but I like to use the males. I usually order the straight run, and process the boys. It is a shame that when we order females from the hatchery, they dispose of the day-old males. In your state, it might be different -- do you order from the hatcheries?
Get the scalding pot ready! Hope it works, but . . .A lot has happened this week with my flock. Yesterday, we built and addition on to the coop. That's in preparation for an addition to the flock next month.
Last Friday, I was ready to cull my rooster. He has been coming at me more and more. So Friday, I tried the Big Stick.
So far... he respects the stick and steers clear of me.
We can bring in chicks though, the hatcheries were unsure for awhile a year or so back because of the shipping. No one wanted a box of dead chicks I guess.I do them myself. I have done as many as 15 in one day, when I was younger! Lately, my limit is 5, LOL. I have a younger BYC member that I was showing how to do it as my helper. Cockerels are not easy to "Re-home"! Their home is the freezer. My freezer is small, so I do them in small batches! Small boys fit in the small freezer.
I just hatched a few ducks, 11, and I know that 1/2 are male. They are cute now, and tasty later!
I have noticed that some of the feed stores have slowed and certain breeds are hard or impossible to come by.
I have one cockerel. The rest were eaten, or went to my friend who split the order with me.We can bring in chicks though, the hatcheries were unsure for awhile a year or so back because of the shipping. No one wanted a box of dead chicks I guess.
I really like to hatch for that reason. Nothing like a happy healthy chick that has not made the trek. The last I ordered were my straight run Brahma's from Texas and I swore, never again. I may do eggs though. Unfortunately/fortunately my roo's are all super sweet and friendly w/ the exception of my Brahma boys but that is my fault for not having the room I need to give them what they need. Don't get me wrong, they are not bad, just pent up and horney needing their own flock. They calm right down once they get a little tail. Never a stick.
