Weight of males at butchering time

[07chickens]

Hello,
I'm raising chickens for the first time. (We did raise them growing up) I chose all dual purpose breeds and I read I should butcher by 12 weeks and that actually they should be 4 pounders by 8 weeks. they are almost 12 weeks and I butchered 4 today but they were only 3 pounds. Any comments? I fed the starter grower feed at a local farm store. it was between the meat %protein requirements and the layer protein requirements. Maybe I'm forgetting how they looked growing up compared to the huge chickens you buy in the store.
07chickens

Thanks guys, They are Buff Orpingtons, Black Sexlinks, Production Reds and Barred Rocks. Do you use any indicators like breast plumpness? How do you tell if they are ready? Will they be tougher if I wait much longer?

 

[silkiechicken]

3 lbs sound fine... most "dual" birds are more layers than "dual", and compound that with the large meat breeds, 3 lbs at 12 weeks is fine. A layer bird, like a leghorn, often weigh 3lbs alive at 20 weeks old.

 

[eKo_birdies]

3 lbs at 12 weeks sounds really reasonable.... what specific DP breeds did you choose? that may make a difference as well.

 

[Montana-Hens]

I just butchered a 17 week old partridge rock rooster I skinned him and he weighed in at exactly 3 pounds. He was free-range and flock raiser feed was availble to him.

 

[Bridget399]

My husband and I have ours butchered at about that time. It's a great size because it's just the two of us. That should make quite a tasty chicken, though. My RIRs were about that and we ate every single one of the roosters! I highly recommend "beer can chicken"!

 

[07chickens]

Quote:
I have Buff Orpingtons, Production Reds, Barred Rock and Black Sexlink.

 

[eKo_birdies]

i thought production reds and BSLs were hybrids, not true DP birds?

 

[MrChicken207]

the males make pretty good eating birds and the hens are excellent layers. not a dual purpose breed, per se, but fit the bill noe the less

 

[eKo_birdies]

Quote:
that's what i was thought. the black sex-links i have are much larger and more filled our than the reds (hens).