We processed our first roosters today

[Lyrika]

Well today was a big step... We processed four young roosters, all between 18 - 20 weeks - an australorp, a barnevelder and two barred rocks. They hadn't been fattened up or anything, just left to free range as per usual and we just took them off their perches early this morning. An experienced friend came by to help us do it.

It was a lot easier than I thought. I was worried they'd be squawking and flapping but there wasn't any. He broke their necks and they just twitched a couple of times and stopped. I still don't think I can do the actual killing bit, but my dad had a go and he's okay with it.

We didn't have anything to scald them in so we just skinned them. Gutting wasn't as tricky as I thought it would be. There wasn't really much to them but enough for a meal. I can't even imagine what supermarket chickens must look like before they're killed, if my big strong boys were so scrawny underneath.

We also did a couple of stubbornly not laying quail. We've been killing quail for a while as reptile food but this was the first time we've actually gone to the effort of dressing one for the table. I assumed it'd be difficult and fiddly. Despite being smaller, quail were even easier than the chickens and took no time at all to do. And the quail are so ridiculously meaty for their size! I was amazed when we saw how much breast meat one tiny little quail had.

The whole process, beginning to end, was much much simpler and faster than I'd imagined. And I'm so proud of us for actually getting it done. Now we know that we can do it that will be the destiny of any extra roosters we hatch - it'd be great not to have to ever by supermarket chicken again.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

Some people can some people can't, or have many issues with processing their own birds. Most supermarket chickens that have decent meat on the bones are CX. When you see the discount bag of chicken with all bone not much meat, those are likely DP roosters. Or very poor grown CX. A lot of DP and even laying hens go into things you can't see the amount of bird your getting. Chicken soup, stock/base pot pies etc. Things you only need 8-10 pieces 1/4 inch cubes.
This s why a lot of BYC members are trying, or have their own meat breeds they grow. Unless you get a great strain DP bird from good heritage stock, or a serious breeder you'll have scrawny carcass, compared to super market birds anyway.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

The whole process, beginning to end, was much much simpler and faster than I'd imagined. And I'm so proud of us for actually getting it done. Now we know that we can do it that will be the destiny of any extra roosters we hatch - it'd be great not to have to ever by supermarket chicken again.

You should be proud of yourselves for being responsible flock owners

Many people want to hatch chicks fully expecting them ALL to be female. Then they have no plans for all the boys and most try to pawn them off others or send them off to a sale where their fate is often the freezer with no idea if they die a quick death or not.

 

[Lyrika]

You should be proud of yourselves for being responsible flock owners Many people want to hatch chicks fully expecting them ALL to be female. Then they have no plans for all the boys and most try to pawn them off others or send them off to a sale where their fate is often the freezer with no idea if they die a quick death or not.

We knew from the start we'd end up with extra roosters. I decided I would rather eat my own happy, healthy free range roosters, knowing they'd had a good life, over eating supermarket chicken that probably had a miserable existence. My boys had a great life, they got treats, they got to roam around in the sun, they got to scratch for bugs. I am glad to have the opportunity to eat happy chicken!

We might look into getting some meat birds to raise, although honestly there's enough meat on the boys we did to provide a meal for two people. My parents got two carcasses and my partner and I got the other two. I'll probably get two meals out of each of ours, I'll make soup with what's left. They had huge legs, I guess because they did so much running around. I know you're supposed to wait a couple of days but we pan fried a little bit of breast meat to try last night, no seasoning or anything and it was delicious. So much flavour.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

I BBQ'd a extra roo the other day. Sat over night in fridge. Skinless because I am lazy that way. Kids loved it. Like yours no spice/sauce. Just cook and eat.

 

[Lyrika]

Well we had our first full meal of homegrown rooster tonight.

All eight legs in a roasting pan with carrot, onion, garlic, thyme and sage. Added two cups of stock and cooked in a low oven for an hour and a half. Served with homemade thyme and rosemary dinner rolls, jacket potato, and gravy made from the pan juices. It was possibly the best meal I've ever had. The chicken was tender and delicious. Yep, never going back from here!

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Indeed you should be proud of yourself. It's a satisfying feeling isn't it, cooking and eating something that you raised yourself, that you know had a healthy, happy life and as pain and trauma free death as possible. I have 19, 9 week old heritage breed roosters in a large grow out pen with lots of grass and 27 5 week old Freedom Rangers in a large tractor. The heritage Dual Purpose breed roosters are an experiment, and I'm a bit dissapointed to hear that even at 20 weeks yours weren't much to in the way of meat. I intend to process the FRs at 12 weeks. Hopefully the DP roosters will be done at that time (they'll be 16 weeks) too. We'll see.

 

[Aacre]

I think I may want this for breakfast.. Yum! Chickens from your own flock just taste so much better. We processed 5 stewing hens the other day. The meat is way tough unless you stew it.. But even if it is tough, the taste is well worth it. Congrats!
Oh, I skin all of my chickens anyway.. I want to learn how to pluck, but skinning is pretty simple and it makes everything go faster.

 

[5 Acre Rooster]

I think what throws most people about most DP is the bone : meat ratio. Where DP is meant to roam, forage and thrive in less climate controlled envirorment, CX have 1 purpose add meat. SO body shape is vastly different. For body size you find a good quantity of meat, but its spread over the longer bone structure.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

The amount of meat on a dp bird will never even be close to a cornishx but they do have a good flavor to them. Butchered 175 CornishX broilers and 42 DP roosters total last year.

DP 18wk old barred rocks (hatchery quality so not as meaty)

Free ranged CornishX 6wks (2 males and a small female)