Questions about RIR roos (packing peanuts) as meat birds...6

[countryduck]

I placed a small order from Ideal Poultry and they included (what appears to me) RIR roos in my box! 16 of them to be exact!!! They are all healthy & thriving right now. I am planning/hoping to raise these guys up as my first go at meat birds. Anyone have any experience with this particular breed for meat? I have heard that RIR roos can be aggressive so I don't want to wait until it comes down to that to process them. I am a complete newbie at the idea of meat birds so please feel free to give advice freely. We would be planning to let them forage and have free-feeding as well. I have heard it is best to feed only grain the last couple of weeks... Any truth to this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[EggGardener]

I'll be watching this thread, too. We ordered some Cornish x from ideal and some layers. We have 7 RIR packing peanuts, too. They're 4 weeks old and any roosters, we'd like to process, but I wonder what age is best, and what weights we can expect??

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

I was planning to do that with my packing peanuts, but Animal Control had a different idea about that.

I have since purged the extras and have the permanent collection housed at a friend's barn till I can get out from under this faschist regime.

(Y'all know I am kidding, right? The city's nice, just not good for those of us born with a bad case of 'barnheart'.)

 

[lemongrass]

Quote:
No experience here, just lots of research. You could probably process at 12 weeks, I've heard most regular breeds of chickens reach slaughter weight at that time. Someone else can chime in if that is incorrect. As for best way to feed them, it is probably a matter of opinion but personally I would keep them foraging with free choice of grain. Foraging makes the meat taste better. Feeding only grain may fatten them up but I don't think it would be in a way you want. Keep them on fresh pasture daily (preferably with some sort of chicken tractor so that they don't return to old pasture) with a trough of grain and plenty of water. I'd plan to process at 12 weeks, maybe do one bird and see if it is to your liking.

Also look here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=345543 ... This post says they wait until the rooster is 4 lbs live weight, which can be 12 weeks or more than 16... so keep an eye on them.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Almost all the birds I've butchered have been standard and mixed-breed roos. Some are from home-hatching, others have been given to me at various ages. I wait until they're at least 16 weeks, usually more like 18-24 weeks. I wait until they've got some substance to them. I can't imagine eating them at 12 weeks, they're still so small at that age.

I feed mine chick starter until about 10 weeks, and give them layer pellets after that. Because I'm a cheapskate and layer feed is less expensive. I figure any kidney damage they'll suffer from the extra calcium won't be significant enough to affect them, especially where they're going. I let them out to free-range, hoping they'll rustle up a lot of their own food. Sometimes I have to confine them when they get older & start going after the hens in big mobs.

I've never tried giving them anything special in the weeks before slaughter. It might make some difference, I don't know. I start butchering them in small batches when they feel meaty enough. When I pick them up & feel their drumsticks & my mouth begins to water.

As a breed, RIRs tend to be aggressive, but these guys shouldn't give you much trouble for the short time you're keeping them. Pick them off their roost the night before you butcher and put them in a small cage with no food, only water. Then they'll be easy to grab for processing without chasing them all over the yard.

I have some RIRs in my meaty-bird pen right now, I'm looking forward to having them as dinner guests...

 

[nwfl]

I usually process my cocks about 4 months too. I get a good price on game bird blend and give them that and left over cooked grains and cereal grains as well as some veggie peels every other night. They get some nice size on them but some develop faster than others so they get finished sooner.

 

[donrae]

I've always gone with the five months or so.

I did read about someone here feeding mostly corn right at the end--those were cornish cross--she purposefully wanted to harvest the fat for cooking. The grains will mostly add fat, not so much meat, so I wouldn't go that way unless you were specifically wanting it.

Let them free range as much as you can! Free food!

RIR roos have a rep as being mean. Yours may get mean, to me that just means it's time to butcher, even if they're a little small

 

[arenea74]

Thanks for this post and all responses. I was just going to ask this same question this morning.

 

[countryduck]

I appreciate all of the responses.

I do have another question...

The chicks are awfully feisty. They peck at my hands and pinch us with their beaks. I am not wearing any jewelry so it is not the 'shiny' thing. They act mean when they do it, not curious. I suppose if we got them out and interacted with them more they might get better - I hope!?! I was trying to avoid bonding with them too much since they are planned meaties. Any input for this particular situation?

Thanks!

 

[mistymeadowchicks]

Quote:
I have a couple roos out of a hatch that were behaving similarly. The rest of the chicks would scatter when I reached into the brooder & these two little demons would puff out their chests & charge, then start pecking. It seems to be a stage they went through--they've settled down now. So hang in, maybe they'll out grow it.