When to eat a rooster?

[lonna]

Ok, so I hatched 50 of my own eggs a few months ago ( the oldest are 12 weeks, youngest are 6 weeks). They are standard mixed-- EE, Black Giants, Minorcas, leghorns, buffs--I am not exactly sure which are pullers and which are roos, but I am certain I will need to kill several Roos ( 50% ehh)--my question is- how can I tell they are roosters and when is the best time to kill them for meat? If I wait till they crow--so I can be sure they are roosters--will they already be tough?

 

[cx367]

Some people say the time is when they just start to crow.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

If you want to get some meat off of them I suggest you wait until they are around 18-20 weeks old. They won't be tough yet unless they are constantly free ranging. Good luck.

 

[lonna]

They all free range-- only in the fence when they are asleep or laying-- guess ill have to make dumplings and stew...

 

[skookumchuck]

W hunt Pheasant quail, partridge and grouse all of them are 1-3 yrs old and they are great eating as long as you don't over cok them and cook them slowly. Cook them fast and at hight temp they are very tought and chewy slow and low great tender eats.

 

[redsoxs]

It all depends on what you want to do with them. I agree with both the 18 weeks or so of age they need to be to be large enough. And with the low and slow as they may be tough. I used to struggle with the "perfect" time with roosters but I have recently readjusted my thinking. Chickens that get of a certain age I either pressure can or convert directly into chicken and dumplings and the like. Great way to utilize it and no particular worries about the age with these methods.

 

[locke2121]

Right after it wakes you up out of a dead sleep at 5 in the morning

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You'll easily tell the cockerels from the pullets in no time. By now even the cockerels of each breed will have more developed combs and wattles than the pullets of that breed. Also will be bigger and more "leggy". Soon enough the saddle feathers will start to show.

Last year we waited until 24 weeks to cull the cockerels. The main reason is I was putting it off as I'm no fan of butchering. The deal in hind sight was they didn't gain any noticeable mass after 18-20 weeks so in reality I just threw away a bag of feed for same yield. If you rest the birds for 3 days or more after butchering before cooking or freezing they wont be as tough either.

 

[sbrown]

Got a few that I'm gonna butcher tomorrow. Will be my first birds that I have raised myself and butchered.

 

[Vamvakas]

Anything under 1 year, anything after that they start to smell.