Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Sally Sunshine]

I have all these extra CCL roos that no one wants, should I grow them out for meat birds? anyone do CCL as meaties? or should I auction them off?

 

[ronott1]

I have all these extra CCL roos that no one wants, should I grow them out for meat birds? anyone do CCL as meaties? or should I auction them off?

Grow them to 3 or 4#s and then process them as fryers.

You can process any time you want--skin and make soup stock with the little ones. There is no need to waste feed trying to get them up to roaster size. They will not get that big.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: can u give me a guess as to how long a time period? I am so bad with judging weights!

 

[Sally Sunshine]

adding and I dont want them to take over my space because I really am going to order a bunch of cornish x in a month or two!

 

[ronott1]

can u give me a guess as to how long a time period? I am so bad with judging weights!

Quote: Dual Purpose breeds quit gaining weight at a good rate after 22 or so weeks. That would be a limit for feed conversion.

Wait until you are ready to bring home the Cornish X and process them then. It may take more to make a meal at that age but they will be tender.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: Dual Purpose breeds quit gaining weight at a good rate after 22 or so weeks. That would be a limit for feed conversion.

Wait until you are ready to bring home the Cornish X and process them then. It may take more to make a meal at that age but they will be tender.
Gotcha! I really wanted to grow out some other stuff, like more CCL pullets but I guess I can keep them together for part of the time and then move the pullets to the layer pen as they grow and keep the roos in the grow out pen. Do you think they will fight by 5 6 months?

 

[ronott1]

Gotcha! I really wanted to grow out some other stuff, like more CCL pullets but I guess I can keep them together for part of the time and then move the pullets to the layer pen as they grow and keep the roos in the grow out pen. Do you think they will fight by 5 6 months?

Watch them--They may need to be separated from the pullets and CCls seem to crow early and mature early--They may fight over the girls and will sometimes try to mate them when the pullets are not ready.

They lay amazing eggs though!

I hatched some Cream Legbar crosses for New Yeas Day!

They are crossed with Crele Pendesenca and were three weeks old on Wednesday when I took this picture:

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Quote: I hear you! I hatch every egg they lay! trouble is everyone want girls and I am stuck with all boys! I wanted to grow out some pullets with them. oh well maybe I will try to get rid of a few more males and just keep two of them to grow them out anyway. just in case... my two roos got frostbit bad, they look fine but ya never know and growing out roos is always a good idea for backup.

 

[jajeanpierre]

I have all these extra CCL roos that no one wants, should I grow them out for meat birds? anyone do CCL as meaties? or should I auction them off?

What is a CCL?

 

[jajeanpierre]

I am the queen of putting off processing unwanted cockerels. I've had some pretty good excuses--fowl pox, spinal surgery on me, antibiotics with a withdrawal time. I tell you, I'm the queen at putting it off.

The time has come, though, and I will process them the first nice weekend after they finish the antibiotics and the five days of withdrawal pass.

These are free ranging LF Ameraucana cockerels. They were hatched April 1, so they will be 10 months old. How do I cook their meat? How tough will it be? Can I use it in a curry, which is how we usually eat chicken. I had wanted to roast them whole, but I am sure they are much too tough.

I would appreciate information on how to cook these little darlings.

Thanks.