My experience killing and cooking young heritage breed cockerels

[angc11]

Good job and great write up

The older they are the cooking method changes or they get tough. View attachment 4142414

Thank you for this! Yes, I am curious to see how cooking my roos will go as they get older. Although at this moment in time, I'm considering butchering all of my extra roosters this week because this morning they were all crowing at 5:40 am...

 

[Tex452]

I decided to do the same thing, I’m tired of the store bought chickens, I’m wanting firmer. And better tasting meat, I incubate any eggs I can get from my, cousin and friends, I don’t care if they are dual purpose or egg layers, I will butcher the cockerels and give the pullets to those that keep me supplied in hatching eggs, I butchered leghorn cockerels before and they were delicious.

 

[angc11]

Just some more updates in case anyone is curious. Processed 3 more cockerels at 13 weeks this morning. I decided not to starve them because the way I have my rooster pen set up just makes it hard to stop them from at least foraging. Well, even though all 3 had full crops, it really wasn't a problem during evisceration! I was able to keep the crop and the intestines intact so I never had a poop/spilled food issue. Maybe I got lucky this time, but I think I will continue that going forward.

I will say that processing these boys today was a bit rough emotionally. All three were sweet to me, just really rough with the hens and had to go. And the rest I'm going to process aren't even aggressive to anyone yet, they just are skittish and won't be good roosters and I can't keep more than 2 anyway. I'm honestly not sure I ever want to incubate and brood chicks that I am planning to kill and eat again. It's too intimate, especially for a first timer like me. In the future, I'd like to let a mama hen hatch and raise them so I'm not so close to them when butchering time comes!

Does anyone have any advice for getting used to killing the little guys you raised? I know it shouldn't be EASY per say, but I would like to be able to make it through without it ruining my day lol. I still have 9 more to go!!!!!

 

[Molpet]

Just some more updates in case anyone is curious. Processed 3 more cockerels at 13 weeks this morning. I decided not to starve them because the way I have my rooster pen set up just makes it hard to stop them from at least foraging. Well, even though all 3 had full crops, it really wasn't a problem during evisceration! I was able to keep the crop and the intestines intact so I never had a poop/spilled food issue. Maybe I got lucky this time, but I think I will continue that going forward.

I will say that processing these boys today was a bit rough emotionally. All three were sweet to me, just really rough with the hens and had to go. And the rest I'm going to process aren't even aggressive to anyone yet, they just are skittish and won't be good roosters and I can't keep more than 2 anyway. I'm honestly not sure I ever want to incubate and brood chicks that I am planning to kill and eat again. It's too intimate, especially for a first timer like me. In the future, I'd like to let a mama hen hatch and raise them so I'm not so close to them when butchering time comes!

Does anyone have any advice for getting used to killing the little guys you raised? I know it shouldn't be EASY per say, but I would like to be able to make it through without it ruining my day lol. I still have 9 more to go!!!!!

Yeah it's not like hunting
The first ones are the hardest. When they are fighting or raping too young pullets, it's easier for me.

I have gone the broody route. The problem with that is catching them. And then they alert like a predator has them and everyone else gets upset. I have been grabbing them before I let the others out at sunrise.

 

[angc11]

Yeah it's not like hunting
The first ones are the hardest. When they are fighting or raping too young pullets, it's easier for me.

I have gone the broody route. The problem with that is catching them. And then they alert like a predator has them and everyone else gets upset. I have been grabbing them before I let the others out at sunrise.

Oooh yes...that is something I have thought about because I have a mobile coop that I can't get into (I have a Justin Rhodes chickshaw). So I am thinking that if I eventually do full free ranging and have a broody hatch out cockerels, I will never ever be able to catch them lol! I may end up modifying my coop to open on the top or just build a new coop where I can take them off the roosts at night. but also I guess I'll burn that bridge when I get to it

 

[angc11]

A few more updates. I butchered the last of my excess roosters this past weekend. It was a rough one, these were my sweet boys that were just too way skittish to be good roosters so they needed to go, but bringing them over to the cone just about killed me.

We butchered 6 on Saturday and hand plucked them all. I would say that would be my max limit of hand plucking birds before I consider buying a drum plucker. If I ever do more than 5 at a time in the future, I will definitely fork over the cash and buy one because hand plucking is so tedious and time consuming.

These guys were nearly 14 weeks and dressed weight was just over 2 lbs. This time I did shrink wrap them for the freezer using the scalder at 190 degrees and used the tube method. The tube method is much easier than the hole poke, you don't have to worry about having tape on hand afterward! thanks @FunClucks

Also remember when I said I probably got lucky with my previous batches and not starving them? Well I was correct, I did indeed get lucky before. All 6 of the boys had full digestive tracts and I definitely had a few poop issues (mostly just poop squeezing out of cloaca as I was eviscerating). I was careful about washing it off and cleaning the table when it would happen, but I see where starving the boys beforehand would be convenient (I know some people actually think it ruins the meat, but I don't have enough experience to argue yay or nay on that subject. I guess I'll find out soon lol).

I am glad to be done with processing for the time being. I have 4 roosters left. Two have proved themselves to already be great watchers and protectors and have earned their spot in my flock of 17 hens. The other two are the tiniest sweet little bantam boys that I didn't have the heart to process and that wouldn't make good meat birds even when they're fully grown. I would guess they don't even weigh a pound soaking wet right now. I'm not sure what to do with them yet, but neither are causing problems so they can stay until they do or until I can find a good home for them.

I attached a couple pics of a bird I processed last week and let rest in the fridge for 3 days before cooking. He was the biggest cockerel I had and the finished carcass weighed in at 2.7 lbs. I spatchcocked it and salt and peppered it and my husband grilled it on a charcoal grill and took it off when the breast read 150 degrees. It was excellent!! I normally don't prefer breast from grocery store birds because they're always flavorless and usually dry no matter what temp you cook them to, but these heritage rooster breasts are the best I've ever had. So flavorful and juicy!!! I will say the legs and thighs were a little rubbery but still quite edible. I'll probably try braising the legs and thighs going forward.

Anyway, I'll quit my rambling. I'm mostly recording this for my future self but hopefully someone finds this all vaguely interesting!

 

[Tex452]

A few more updates. I butchered the last of my excess roosters this past weekend. It was a rough one, these were my sweet boys that were just too way skittish to be good roosters so they needed to go, but bringing them over to the cone just about killed me.

We butchered 6 on Saturday and hand plucked them all. I would say that would be my max limit of hand plucking birds before I consider buying a drum plucker. If I ever do more than 5 at a time in the future, I will definitely fork over the cash and buy one because hand plucking is so tedious and time consuming.

These guys were nearly 14 weeks and dressed weight was just over 2 lbs. This time I did shrink wrap them for the freezer using the scalder at 190 degrees and used the tube method. The tube method is much easier than the hole poke, you don't have to worry about having tape on hand afterward! thanks @FunClucks

Also remember when I said I probably got lucky with my previous batches and not starving them? Well I was correct, I did indeed get lucky before. All 6 of the boys had full digestive tracts and I definitely had a few poop issues (mostly just poop squeezing out of cloaca as I was eviscerating). I was careful about washing it off and cleaning the table when it would happen, but I see where starving the boys beforehand would be convenient (I know some people actually think it ruins the meat, but I don't have enough experience to argue yay or nay on that subject. I guess I'll find out soon lol).

I am glad to be done with processing for the time being. I have 4 roosters left. Two have proved themselves to already be great watchers and protectors and have earned their spot in my flock of 17 hens. The other two are the tiniest sweet little bantam boys that I didn't have the heart to process and that wouldn't make good meat birds even when they're fully grown. I would guess they don't even weigh a pound soaking wet right now. I'm not sure what to do with them yet, but neither are causing problems so they can stay until they do or until I can find a good home for them.

I attached a couple pics of a bird I processed last week and let rest in the fridge for 3 days before cooking. He was the biggest cockerel I had and the finished carcass weighed in at 2.7 lbs. I spatchcocked it and salt and peppered it and my husband grilled it on a charcoal grill and took it off when the breast read 150 degrees. It was excellent!! I normally don't prefer breast from grocery store birds because they're always flavorless and usually dry no matter what temp you cook them to, but these heritage rooster breasts are the best I've ever had. So flavorful and juicy!!! I will say the legs and thighs were a little rubbery but still quite edible. I'll probably try braising the legs and thighs going forward.

Anyway, I'll quit my rambling. I'm mostly recording this for my future self but hopefully someone finds this all vaguely interesting!

I wish my cockerels were ready to butcher, I’m wanting birds in 2-3 lb range, like you said they are so tasty compared to store bought.
I’ve been thinking about a plucker myself when we start butchering, we should have about 50 ready to butcher in a couple of months.
I will share these with my family.

 

[Molpet]

and that wouldn't make good meat birds even when they're fully grown. I would guess they don't even weigh a pound soaking wet right now. I'm not sure what to do with them yet, but neither are causing problems so they can stay until they do or until I can find a good home for them.

Quail are smaller than that and people raise them for meat.

 

[angc11]

I wish my cockerels were ready to butcher, I’m wanting birds in 2-3 lb range, like you said they are so tasty compared to store bought.
I’ve been thinking about a plucker myself when we start butchering, we should have about 50 ready to butcher in a couple of months.
I will share these with my family.

That's great! I would definitely recommend a drum plucker for that many birds!!

 

[angc11]

Quail are smaller than that and people raise them for meat.

Well that is true, but quail are so plump. These boys are really skinny! They're also cute and sweet and i'm a big baby.......