How old should Rocks and Wyandottes be when we process them?

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

I have 12+ Rock and Wyandotte cockerels who are almost 4 months old. No one is crowing yet, and we estimate our largest is about 5 pounds but we aren't sure. They are free ranging with our pullets so I have heard that can mean slower growth. I would like to wait till their feathers are fully developed... not sure how long that takes. I am trying to set a date while working around a trip I will be taking in mid September. Do I do it before we leave, or wait till after we return?
All the info I can find is on Cornish crosses. I have no Idea when to process our birds, but we want to know how long we have to figure out which of our roos are the lucky keepers, and who is headed for the freezer.

 

[chickabator]

its time to process

 

[al6517]

Now Now Now, if you wait longer than 16 wks they will be pretty tough and only good for the stew pot. since they have been free ranging for so long they may be skinnier than grain fed birds of the same age, that is why your feather growth and crowing are slower in coming.

AL

 

[Tam'ra of Rainbow Vortex]

But I don't even know what GENDER some of my Wyandottes are!
I have been scrutinizing my columbians for over a month and I can't tell what they are. One of them still doesn't even have all it's feathers. And I shouldn't wait till they are full sized? They get bigger, I know.
I just don't know. This is my first time raising birds for meat.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
If you want you should pull these and hold them back for 2 weeks more, and for god sake get them off the free range, they will never fatten up on yard grass. put them in a smaller coop with real food and feed some cracked corn 2-3 times a day. You will be very happy with that.

AL