Newbie needs advice

[aart]

Quote: The 'resting' a butchered and cleaned bird in the fridge is to allow rigor mortis pass out of the muscles before cooking or freezing.

 

[donrae]

Catch them at night when they're roosting. If you've got a seller willing to take them back, personally I'd do that unless you have a lot in them. There's not going to be a ton of meat there. Here's pics of my mixed breed cockerels' carcasses, and these guys had a lot more dual purpose blood than your light Andy guys...








I've had good luck with processing and cooking right away, no resting/brining etc. Bird is butchered, skinned and gutted, then into the pressure cooker. 40 min, let, cool, pick the meat, bag and freeze.


Each bird yeilded about a quart of meat, plus some of the richest, nicest broth since I just rolled the cooking liquid over.

 

[nrachick]

Thanks for the responses I will let you know what I do. Keep them coming if you have advice.

 

[vbob99]

we just recently killed some rather old roos to change out blood lines. we put them into a separate pen at night and feed straight cracked corn for about 4 weeks. best old rooster i have eaten and had a lot of meat and fat to make em cook. but like someone else said catch at night and trade for a couple more hens. 1 roo to 5 hens can work 2 roos to 8 hens can work all depends on their temperament. i have found that keeping 2 roosters works better than one for me. when one tries to mate it better be fast cause the other one is going to come over and knock first one off

 

[kacklinghen]

The guy that gave them to me said he'd take them back and give me hens for them and I tried to catch them today but it is impossible since I did not raise them from chicks they don't let me pick them up. They stay close to me and follow me around but when I reach for them they take off. I could try to get creative and catch them, but he said he is going to butcher them anyways. Also, should I keep one around to breed as I would like to do that in the spring? They were all together and the same age when I got them so there is a possibility they are siblings. Should I just buy a different rooster to breed them? Thank you I have so many questions .

I use a fishing net in one hand and a crab net in the other, they see big net and run into the little crab net

 

[donrae]

I use a fishing net in one hand and a crab net in the other, they see big net and run into the little crab net

That just sounds way beyond my dexterity score