When to butcher?

[dusica731]

I have 6 Buff Brahmas and 6 Partridge Rocks, straight run... I will be meating any Roos that I get. When would be the best age to do this for the best results? Any and all advice welcome

 

[dusica731]

Anyone?

 

[subhanalah]

I've read that you Butcher them at 18- 20 weeks. Will you caponize them?

You can really do it any time before that, as long as you are happy with the size of the carcass.

 

[dusica731]

...

I've read that you Butcher them at 18- 20 weeks. Will you caponize them?

You can really do it any time before that, as long as you are happy with the size of the carcass.[/quote

]That's "fixing" them, right? No... I won't free range them to help from them burning "calories"... What would u suggest for freed and diet?

 

[subhanalah]

Allowing them natural foraging foods and a good flock formula will be great for them. You can feed a meat bird formula, but with the Flock Raiser or All Flock formulas, you can feed it to your laying pullets/hens as well without having to worry about who is getting what feed.

 

[subhanalah]

And yea, caponizing is removing their testicles. This is done for those who wish to crow out their cockerels longer for a bigger carcass, without the testosterone affecting the quality of the meat.

 

[dusica731]

And yea, caponizing is removing their testicles. This is done for those who wish to crow out their cockerels longer for a bigger carcass, without the testosterone affecting the quality of the meat.

This would be done by local vet?

 

[subhanalah]

This would be done by local vet?

if you can find a vet who does it?
Many farmers do it themselves. Maybe you can find a local farmer who does this? I wouldn't be able to do it muself.

 

[dusica731]

Me

if you can find a vet who does it?
Many farmers do it themselves. Maybe you can find a local farmer who does this? I wouldn't be able to do it muself.

Me either :/ I'll check around and see what I come up with... If I have no luck finding someone who is experienced in this, do u think it best to separate from flock and not allow them to free range? And would I feed them feed meant for meaties or something else?

 

[bobbi-j]

We have never caponized a rooster, and the meat quality is just fine. It would certainly be cost-prohibitive if you take them to a vet, and I would not hand my chickens over to anyone else to cut into them to do it. Watch a video on caponizing sometime. We just feed our roosters what everyone else gets. The last bunch we had were kept separated from the flock, but that's because there were so many of them, they were terrorizing the pullets.