What feed is best to fatten up rooster ?

X2
Here's some ages to harvest

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As others have said, high protein feeds are best for helping birds (hatchery or otherwise) put on weight. Look for something 20%+.

Be aware that the weight gain plot is a curve, not a straight line. At some, relatively early, point weight gain will start to flatten out and the cost of higher protein feed will exceed the value of the weekly weight gain. That, in combination with a desire for tenderness, encourages culling sooner, rather than later.

Example - my Dark Brahma hens LOOKED like big birds at 5 months, relative to some of my others breeds. It was all feathers, they weighed about 4.5#. 9 months later, they weigh about 6# each. I can guarantee you that no feed, no matter how cheap, makes that last 1.5# more valuable than the time waiting for it. Even my meat bird males, CornishX, weren't cost effective to raise to the 13 and 14# I butchered them at (I kept them for other reasons) - but as table birds, I should have butchered at 1/3 the age, and a bit more than half the weight.

I now cull most of my males between 12 and 18 weeks - its the right mix of size, cost, flavor, and tenderness to put some meat on the table for my wife and I. Sizes range from almost 4.5# to a little over 5#, and I generally have a carcass in the 3.5# range +/- after butchering, roughly 2/3 of which is meat.
 
@Molpet do you have any idea why they made that comment about a hatchery bird can't be butchered? That makes no sense to me as I butcher hatchery birds.
I think they mean hatchery birds are bred for mass reproduction and not very meaty. I think I remember they talked about weights and waiting until hatchery were roaster age. Of course I can't find the article again on my phone.

I think they meant a hatchery bird isn't a true heritage type bird
 
There is nothing you can do to make a "dual purpose" or "egg type" rooster grow the way a meat-type "Cornish Cross" bird grows. The genetics just aren't there.

You have a few options:

1. Cull as soon as you identify males. This could be as early as 2-3 weeks, but may be longer for some breeds. Honestly, this is probably the cheapest option.

2. Grow out your cockerels to whatever size you want for your table. Expect to feed them about 3-4 lbs of feed per lb of body weight gained. This will cost you more time and money (in feed/labor) than growing out a true meat-type bird, but could be worth it for you. As for what age to grow to... it depends. For most breeds, your best bet is to process at about 14 to 18 weeks to balance growth/feed cost, but there is no one size fits all recommendation. Try processing at different points to see what you like best.
 

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