How small is too small to process?

[I'M On Island Time]

I have some leghorns that need to get processed. They are starting to crow and are around 11 wks old.

However, they are pretty skinny birds. I know they will never look like a Cornish, and are just generally rangy type birds, but what do you think a minimum weight would be to process? I think they weigh about 3 lbs.

I'm trying to fatten them up, but need to do something with them before their crowing really gets to the neighbors.

 

[scooter147]

IMHO, I wouldn't waste any more feed on them, you can keep them another 11 weeks and you won't have much more weight (in meat) then you do now.
You don't say how many you have but I would process them now and take what meat I get and use it for chicken salad, chicken tacos etc.

I took 12 chicks that were hatched at my nephews school as one of those projects no one thought through (what do we do with them after they hatch?). I were told they were white rocks well they were leghorns and of course 7 of them were roos. So I speak from a bit of experience.
Mine all turned into chicken salad.

 

[jaku]

Yeah, I'd cut them up now. You'll get some meat, and you won't waste the time or money feeding them.

 

[I'M On Island Time]

Thanks for the advice. I'll make the call, and they'll be dinner next week.

Yes, these birds also came from a classroom project. 11 roos, 2 hens. I'm keeping the hens, but the roos go in the pot.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

and dont forget -- while they might not be a roasting bird you can sure cook them down for stock and pot pie!!!

our leghorn roo went directly into the pot - we didnt try to get any real 'meat cuts' from him.

 

[millerwb]

Mine went to the pot young as well. they were tastey.

 

[saddina]

Leghorn roos can make good fried chicken.... Not that I eat fried things...

 

[gocrow77]

I'd say since some on this forum process and eat quial - they are tiny - that there is practically no such thing. Process em and enjoy whatever meat you get from them.

 

[scooter147]

Aren't leghorn roo chicks the ones hatcheries take and freeze and sell to pet shops, zoos and the such to feed to meat eating reptiles. I thought I saw that on like the Discovery channel or something.