Processing Production Red Rooster

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I have a Production Red Rooster who is 20 weeks old and I want to process him. The killing and cutting and cooking I got. I want to know if I need to separate him from the flock and feed him something different? My husband says he needs to be corn feed for a couple of weeks. Is this true and do I 'not' feed him the day before butchering? I will brine him but can he stay in the refrigerator for 2 days before cooking or does he need to go in the freezer for a while then cook? Thanks for all your help.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

We have taken our RIRs right out of free ranging to butcher but you can feed them corn for a week before butchering if you like. A lot of people do it like that and we do too. I personally like the taste of a free range bird better but my DH likes them finished out on corn.

I let mine sit in ice water for a day or two and then freeze or cook. Usually cook them fresh. I still have yet to try the brine method so IDK about that...alot of people prefer that way too. You will just have to experiement and figure out which way you like best

 

[honeydoll]

I was told if you feed them cracked corn it puts a nice layer of fat on them and fat adds flavor, but just add it to the top of feed they get. I've never tried this though. If you want an empty crop you could withhold feed for 24hrs prior to processing. Some like the chicken to have a little food in the crop so it's easier to find and remove. If it's very full it's very easy to spot but if you break it on accident it's messy. So this is really a matter of preference. I have processed mine both ways, it was easier to find the crop when it was full but I did break a couple and it was messy. Nothing a water hose couldn't handle. Restricting food did make the job less messy though. I never separated mine from the flock but I also never gave mine cracked corn, so I guess that would depend. I haven't processed that many but enough to know about the crop.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Yummm, he should be good whatever you do with him! It would be best if you had two roos to do, then you could finish one with corn & one without and compare the difference. For this one, I'd say let whoever will be doing the most work to process him should get to finish him however they wish.

I haven't tried adding corn to my meaties' diet right before butchering, so I couldn't say what affect it would have. My birds are standard or mixed breed birds, I usually simmer them & pull their meat for use in other dishes. If I were planning to roast a bird I might try finishing him with corn to see if it added flavor to him.

I do withhold food --but not water!-- 12-24 hours before butchering because it seems to help keep both the crop & the intestines empty & clean. I haven't had any trouble finding empty crops.

Besides, I'm such a cheapskate I don't want to waste feed on an animal that won't use it to make meat.

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

Thanks, ya'll. I knew I could count on this board to help explain things a little better. We are definitely making soup. My husband is originally from Mexico and has been wanting "yard" chicken soup for a while. Just like mom used to make. I know I ate "yard" chicken when I was young, but too young to remember what it tastes like or how they did it other than remembering seeing my Granny ring their necks and dip and pluck feathers out. I was traumatized by the "ringing of the neck" but the cleaning was sort of fun to help out. I will definitely cut the artery and let them drain out. I will try the corn fed first then the "free range" on my next one who is 10 weeks old.