If you were to decide to process one of your RIR pullets, at what age would you do it? I have one causing problems with the rest of my girls (feather plucking/eating) and I'm fed up with her attitude. I've tried supplemental protein, chicken jail, etc. She won't stop, so I'm going to eat her. She is approx 15 weeks.
If she were causing me grief and I had no particular reason to keep her; I'd being eating fried chicken asap.
For all I know, you have 5 pullets on 5 acres, but the behavior sounds like too many in a confined area. She can be eaten now, but not much meat there. You can keep her by herself in a dog crate, etc., and have a better meal in about 4 to 6 weeks. If a dominate pullet or more start feather plucking amougst the others, you may have to reduce numbers or increase space. If in a dry pen, hanging a head of cabbage on a rope, or throwing them a pile of grass clippings, or tossing in some watermelon rinds, etc. may help. [Chickens breeds well suited to forageing need something to peck at.]
There's no "magic age" for slaughtering dual purpose chickens, that's the beauty of it--it all depends on what you're after. If you have the time, here's a great article about how the meat of birds of different ages is classed according to its characteristics: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3473262#p3473262 But it sounds like your eager to get rid of her as soon as possible. She's "fryer" size right now, perfect for--well, frying--or baking or grilling. So I'd go for it whenever!
I have 5 pullets in a 4x5 coop with a 5x12 run. The RIR is the smartest and most people friendly. She is an amazing forager/bug catcher. I have a feeling maybe she is just too smart for her own good. She is the only feather picker, but really makes life miserable for the other 4, who avoid her as much as possible and hide in the coop. She waits until their backs are turned, and then sneaks up on them and rips out a feather. And she only picks from a certain spot on each chicken. On my big EE, she pulls out the tail feathers. On the small EE, she pulls out the back feathers. On my brahma she pulls out the leg feathers, and on the frizzle cochin I'm not sure cause the frizzle is skittish and runs too fast for me to see where shes getting attacked. When she's in chicken jail, the other girls are happy and take dust baths and scratch and chase bugs. When the RIR is in with them, they all cower in the coop. The only thing I'm a little hesitant about is the fact that the RIR would probably end up being my best egg layer. But I can always get another chicken.... Thanks for the advice and thanks for the article Sky. Very informative!
You technically have room for 5 pullets, but as a previous poster noted breeds that forage well (and RIRs are masters at this) tend to get bored and thus destructive without some elbow room. Is there any way you can give them more space at least for a few hours a day?
The space issue is just fine. Your run fits 7 chickens standard size. The coop can vary 3-4 square ft per chick. Our city requires 2 square ft per standard chicken. Your RIR sounds like a bully. Her attitude could change once she starts laying. My RIR was like that until just recently, until my EE decided to be top hen. My RIR is very skittish and runs for cover when ever anyone walks in the coop since the EE took over. That wasn't the case when she was 10 weeks old, my RIR attacked me three times. Once I was pecked super hard in the back, the other two times she tried to knock me down with her two legs. You may want to give her a chance. Keep her in jail for at least a week straight. It might help. Good luck.
