What is the best age to butcher non-meatie roosters?

[Santa Walt]

HorseFeatherz NV,

Thanks for posting the link to the article on cooking heritage chickens. I download a copy for future reference.

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Your welcome Santa Walt - I also have it saved to my computer

 

[blefky]

Quote:
Great article HF - thank you!

 

[vinegarfly]

I found this thread super helpful! My Americana roo's are 9 wks so I guess I have a while yet before processing

 

[Elizabeth13]

I am going to get meat birds this year and was wandering what type should i get? the last time my family did meat birds thy where Buff Orp roos (and not vary nice).

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Everyone has their favorites, you'll have to try a variety for yourself and then decide. You may also want to try the free-range broilers available, different hatcheries have them, even McMurray offers them now. McMurray also has a "All Heavies Assortment" you can get, 25 heavy-breed rooster chicks of several different types.

 

[Lynyrd66]

How long before butchering do you take them off medicated Grower? Do you even have to take them off the medicated grower? And if you do, do you temporarily take the whole flock off of the medicated grower? I only have 7 chickens and I definately have 2 cockerals, possibly 3. They are about 13 weeks now, so I will need to butcher soon.

 

[JesNflock]

How long before butchering do you take them off medicated Grower? Do you even have to take them off the medicated grower? And if you do, do you temporarily take the whole flock off of the medicated grower? I only have 7 chickens and I definately have 2 cockerals, possibly 3. They are about 13 weeks now, so I will need to butcher soon.

I don't know how long before butchering to take them off the medicated (I don't feed medicated feed) but I would definitely take them off a few weeks or so at least...





Edited to add...I just saw when you posted this...lol guess you probably got an answer and did the deed by now

 

[acro1010]

So the older the chicken the slower you cook it?

 

[bobbi-j]

So the older the chicken the slower you cook it?

Yep. Another good way to tenderize older chickens is to pressure cook or pressure can them. I love having canned chicken in my pantry!