Weight or Age to Butcher

[AimsChickies]

I am thinking of keeping a few of my RIR and Barred Rock roos to butcher. I am new to the butchering thing, wondering if someone could reccomend an age or weight to butcher?

 

[moenmitz]

16 weeks is what I was told- we decided our Barred Rocks were still too bony then, and waited until 18.5 weeks. I cooked them in the crock pot, put them in a chicken pot pie, and they were fabulous. Up to 20 weeks, I think most are still going to be ok, as long as your are careful cooking them- after that, sounds like they are only good in stew. The older they get, the tougher they CAN be, so you want to use moist heat when you cook them, or some have recommended brining them before hand. I was surpised by the amount of meat on the BRs actually- they STILL felt bony to me, but they were quite compact and meaty- I was very pleased. 16 weeks might actually have been just fine.

 

[AimsChickies]

That sounds good! Are they crowing by that point? 4 mos or so?

 

[moenmitz]

oh yes-mine were crowing for probably a month BEFORE that...25 roosters outside my bedroom window "practicing" their crows at 3 a.m. made "dispatching" them a bit easier...

 

[mcg30_40]

I'm no help...I butchered when they got too big for me to afford to keep them fed.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

I would say.........between 15 to 20 weeks is a good age to butcher. I have heard they are the most tender at that time due to the fact they aren't running around gaining muscle and making the meat tough. Just my thoughts.