Tips for feeding/prepping Dual Purpose breeds for processing

[BirchAndBeaks]

Hi all! We have been processing excess roosters for a few months now, and I’m looking for tips to improve the quantity/quality of the meat. These are dual purpose breeds - primarily BYM with Easter Egger, Orpington, Jersey Giant, Wyandotte, and some other misc. bloodlines.

At first we were just processing roosters who acted aggressive towards my kids so these were older birds that ended up as soup and enchiladas. We just processed our first group of cockerels that were younger - 16-20 weeks old. Meat was definitely not as tough but there didn’t seem to be a whole lot there. The largest was just over 2lbs processed (whole including bones). I know these guys will never be as large as the market birds, but I’m hoping some others have suggestions on how to “fatten them up”.

Currently they are getting starter/grower free choice. They are in a smaller separate pen. Should I be feeding them meatbird/broiler feed? I’ve seen some info about people supplementing with mash/milk/etc as well but haven’t done this. Any advice to help make these guys juicy and tasty?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Any advice to help make these guys juicy and tasty?

As they go through puberty the hormones add flavor and texture to the cockerels' meat. Some start puberty earlier than others and some go through the process faster so it is hard to talk about specific ages. The chicken you buy at the store are butchered too young for this process to show up.

Some of us like that additional flavor, some don't. There is personal preference involved, just like the rest of life and living. You can partially mask that flavor with herbs and spices but not totally get rid of it.

The texture affects how we can cook it. Young chicken can be grilled or fried. As they get older and tougher this no longer works. You may need to bake, stew, pressure cook, slow cook, or use a different method. Again, personal preference enters in. Some people are happy with fried chicken if the cockerel was 16 weeks old, some may not like it after 12 weeks.

When you butcher it you need to age the meat. That lets rigor mortis pass, otherwise it can be so tough it is inedible. Keep it in the fridge or an ice chest so you can keep it cold enough for bacteria to not grow and wait until you can easily wiggle a joint.

Some people like to brine the meat. That's where they soak it in a saltwater solution so it can absorb moisture. If you are going to cook it a dry method, like frying or grilling, brining can greatly improve moisture. If you are going to cook it using a wet method brining is usually unnecessary.

Marinading is where you soak the meat in an acid to break down the fiber to make it more tender. That can be helpful on older tougher meat. Typical marinades are often tomato based, wine based, or vinegar based. Marinading is often used when cooking older birds, such as using wine when making Coq au Vin, which is a French method to turn a tough old rooster into a gourmet meal.

You can add flavoring at any time through this process, whether just salt or different herbs or spices. A lot of people do that with marinades but you can add them at other times or if you do not marinade.

I generally bake a cockerel 16 to 23 weeks old. Cut it into serving pieces, put those in a tightly closed baking pan with chopped carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Add some herbs like oregano and thyme. Bake at 250 Fahrenheit for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Carefully use a slotted spoon to remove the meat as it will fall off of the bone. Use the liquid as broth. There are plenty of other ways to cook it.

Chicken meat does not get the marbling like beef, the fat is not in the meat. If you separate your cockerels and feed them a high protein diet like 20% to 24%, they will grow faster but they will never get that big compared to the commercial birds. They do not have the genetics for that.