Processing age for a Rhode Island Red

[deegee68]

Hello,

Back in March I ordered 23 layers that I thought were all pullets but to my surprise I have three roosters in there. I was thinking about processing them and was wondering about what age should I harvest? They are 11 weeks old.

Thanks,

DG

 

[Ridgerunner]

Rhode Island Reds are vent sexed so they have a success rate of about 90%. With an order of 23 getting two and occasionally three boys is expected.

As the cockerels go through puberty the hormones add texture and flavor to the meat. Texture affects how you can cook them without the meat being too chewy. Some of us like the extra flavor but some consider that taste "gamey" and don't like it. When they hit puberty cockerels can start harassing and force mating the pullets or fighting among themselves. It takes them a while to put much meat on those bones. They grow at different rates so there is a risk in giving a specific age but in general they have a decent amount of meat at 16 weeks. By 22 or 23 weeks their growth rate tends to really slow down.

There is a lot of personal preference in picking an age to butcher them. Some people like to butcher around 12 weeks, before they usually start to bother the girls or fight seriously, but there is very little meat there. You can still fry or grill those. Some like to wait until 16 weeks when they have more meat. They are getting a little old to fry or grill but you can still roast them. I like to wait until they are around 23 weeks and that growth spurt is over. I bake mine at a low temperature in a closed baking dish to keep the moisture in. Really old chickens (several years old) can still be cooked in soups, stews, a crock pot, or in a pressure cooker and get good meat.

Regardless of when you butcher them, you need to age them to get them past rigor mortis. Shortly after they die the meat stiffens up. If you cook it during rigor the meat can be close to inedible from the texture. If you store it in a refrigerator or ice chest to keep it cool until rigor passes the joints will move very easily if you wiggle them and they are OK to cook. Some may take as little as 24 hours but a lot take closer to 72 or more.

Good luck!