How much meat do you get...

[Doublete]

So I am starting right now my flock and have purchased several “straight run” dual purpose birds that if I end up with too many roosters I could process for myself...
I also plan to keep a rooster and allow a few to hatch every year.. so this may become every year that I would have some...

My question is... once I’ve figured which birds are going to stay or go they would be approx 18 weeks... how much of their weight at that time would be usable meat/finished?

Thank you!

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Not much with a dual purpose bird. I butcher mine at two years to get a full body weight.

 

[Doublete]

Not much with a dual purpose bird. I butcher mine at two years to get a full body weight.

Ok... how much is that typically?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Ok... how much is that typically?

I wouldn’t know as I haven’t butchered a bird that young. They are rather scrawny at that age.

 

[Doublete]

I wouldn’t know as I haven’t butchered a bird that young. They are rather scrawny at that age.

No I meant at 2 years... or any year. If I process a 4 lb bird how much of that is usable edible meat.
Or if it’s a 6 lb bird... does it make sense what I’m
Asking?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

No I meant at 2 years... or any year. If I process a 4 lb bird how much of that is usable edible meat.
Or if it’s a 6 lb bird... does it make sense what I’m
Asking?

I get about 5-6lbs for a hen and 6-7lbs for a rooster all deboned. Sorry I misunderstood.

 

[Doublete]

All deboned? So not thighs and wings? Or yes thighs and wings but not including weight of the bone? (Sorry if this is a stupid question)

 

[The Dapper Duck]

I used to do with my Australorp/Austra-white cockerels what you were planning. I butchered at 16-18wk and I would get probably a 4lb carcass. The trade-off in waiting for the extra meat is that the bird hits maturity and then he's only good for slow cooking. Younger birds you can fry or use like you would chicken from the butcher.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No I meant at 2 years... or any year. If I process a 4 lb bird how much of that is usable edible meat.
Or if it’s a 6 lb bird... does it make sense what I’m
Asking?

As usual, I'll say it depends. How much of the carcass are you weighing? Are you cutting it into serving pieces and discarding parts like neck or back, do you count giblets? Are you plucking or skinning? Conformation and age has an effect.

At 18 weeks I'd expect a plucked cockerel, no giblets, and a whole carcass dual purpose bird to be around 70%. Could be a little more could be less. If you de-bone and are only talking about usable meat I have no idea.

 

[Doublete]

I used to do with my Australorp/Austra-white cockerels what you were planning. I butchered at 16-18wk and I would get probably a 4lb carcass. The trade-off in waiting for the extra meat is that the bird hits maturity and then he's only good for slow cooking. Younger birds you can fry or use like you would chicken from the butcher.

I mean I’m only one person... the most I usually need is leftovers... so that would probably work for me