WHen to process not meat birds

[hcammack]

When should I proccess my extra cockerals they are a wyndotte and EE.

Henry

 

[PurpleChicken]

I processed a speckled sussex cockeral at around 14 weeks. I'd say wait until
they seem big enough or causing problems within the flock.

 

[kstaven]

Personally, I wait until 20 - 22 weeks. Better size and more meat by then.

 

[hcammack]

Since I am hatching in the spring I was thinking I could keep one rooster and hatch some of my Mutt eggs and then process him later. I think Silver laced wyndotte X EE , Silver laced wyndotteX golden laced wyndotte, Silver laced wyndotteX salmon Favorrel, and Silver Laced wyndotteX Cuckoo marans. Would all be realy cool crosses.

Henry

 

[hcammack]

Would It even be worth it to kill process them? there are only 2.
Henry

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

If you have not processed before it would be good for you to try it with a small number and get the hang of it. As for the birds they might not be a huge meal but it's better than wasting them.

 

[hcammack]

Ya I will definatly do it then because I am hatching in the spring and I will have to process the extra cockerals.

Henry

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Actually, I'm discovering that I prefer processing no more than 5 birds at a time. I have a little skinning station that sets up in under 5 minutes, and because I skin them and don't pluck them, the whole process only takes about 15 minutes. Doing more than 5 at once gets to be a chore; it seems like I can do the 5, and still have time to do other chores, in one evening after work.

 

[littlelemon]

I'm glad I came across this topic. I was wondering when to butcher one of our roos. He is a white plymouth rock, 16 weeks old. He is big, but I want to butcher him right at his peak before he eats anymore feed! Could I do it now, or will he still grow a little bit?

 

[aliena614]

Littlelemon I waited till my white rock roo was about 20 weeks and he weighed in @ about 2.5lbs dressed! all of those white freathers make them look alot bigger than what they really are!