I have 4 Speckled Sussex Roo's

[PAchickenlover]

I have 4 speckled Sussex Roosters now. We had 6 yesterday. I only bought them this spring. Did I decide to butcher them too late? They were pretty tough. My chickens are free ranged during the day and they come in the coop at night. I have some other mutts running around here, should I butcher them soon or wait till they get bigger? I am new at this so any information you can give me would be great. Thanks
Mollie

 

[PA Rooster]

Did you let the meat rest for a day or two in cold water or in the fridge? If you don't they will be tough you have to let the muscles relax after processing them.

 

[Larkin]

Yeah, from what I've seen, you butcher when the rooster is the size you want. I agree with PA Rooster, I have also heard you need to let the meat rest in the fridge so I have done that with all my birds I process with great results! Let 'em rest before you cook 'em!

 

[phoenixrotts]

Does it matter what age the rooster or hen is when you butcher them? I've had people tell me that once the birds are over 6 months old they will be tough. Is this just because maybe they didn't let their chicken rest before cooking them or does age really matter?

 

[SunnySkies]

An older bird will ALWAYS be tough. Yes, rest them. Brine them. But a DP bird will need a slow, low and moist cooking method. You can't take and toss a DP bird like a Speckled Sussex on the grill, ever.

IME, a DP bird over 10 weeks is going to be tough to some extent, and they are not quite meaty enough to make it worthwhile to me to process them at that age. So I let them go and plan to crockpot and pull the meat for use in something else. Cull older chickens are not the star of the meal. They are a great component though.

 

[enola]

The rule with cockerals at my house.....if I don't plan on keeping him, when he crows he is out of here......

 

[silver-quail]

Ummm what is a dp bird ?

 

[SunnySkies]

Dual process, meaning eggs and meat.

 

[silver-quail]

I'm in the knowledge now thanks

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I roasted a Rooster, yes about his first birthday, and he was great. It's been said before and I'm thinking it's true though have only processed less than 20 birds and he was the only one to be frozen so will have to try it again. Freeze and thawing of the meat aids in breaking down the toughness. I'd had him in brine for the third day in fridge and finally tossed in freezer as wanted him for dinner that coming weekend. Slow cooked covered at 325F ( uncover to brown last 40 min) he was more tender than a few 5 month cockerels done the same way without freezing. And obviously he had much more flavor than 14 week old cockerels which I did grill and wont at that age again- going to try 10 week on grill next summer.