When to process young roosters

[Homesteader Julie]

I know technically you can process them whenever you want, but I have a lot of young roosters that will eventually be processed. They currently are 3mo-2mo. I don’t think I can wait until sexual maturity on these birds because they are already starting to raise a commotion in the flock.

What is the earliest you’ve processed roosters and it was still worth the meat? Just a question— no judgement, please. I’ve got to do something with these 10 young roosters with only having 8 hens.
Thank you.

 

[Folly's place]

Because I send mine to a local processor, rather than doing it at home, I like them to be at least six to seven pounds when they go. But, if I had too much drama in the flock, it would be whenever necessary!
You could cull the 'liveliest' cockerels very soon, and hold some back to get a bit larger. Or, a wildlife rehab facility might love some smaller cockerels. You also could do it yourself and make chicken soup and stock!
Remembering some of the tiny birds my hubby brought home from hunting sometimes, your nice chickens, who don't have birdshot throughout, will be wonderful!
Mary

 

[GC-Raptor]

12 to 14 weeks old can be Roasted or Fried.
14 to 16 weeks Baked.
After that a Pressure cooker or a Slow cooker.
This is what I've read. I've never butchered.
@aart butcher's cockerels. GC

 

[Punkybrewster]

I just butchered 3 at 11 weeks for wreaking havoc in my coop. Very juicy tender meat... Just not a lot. One fed 2 people but was soo tender. Better than an old rooster!

 

[Mtnboomer]

I butcher mine when i can. 3-4 months or younger can be used however you wish. After that soup, stew, pressure cooker, or or slow cooker.

 

[Mrs. K]

If they are egg laying roosters, or even dual purpose roosters, I would do the sooner than later, and just skin them. They are going to different than kentucky fried chicken, but when young the are easy to skin and make casseroles out of them.

The advice to pick 3 -4 of the worst, is good advice. Not quite such a big chore if this is your first time. And often times, it will change the dynamics of the flock. So culling.... then reevaluating, culling again is good advice.

Some people like them grilled or fried if done young enough, I don't. If they are egg layers or dual purpose, I like them in casseroles or soup. Do a couple one way, a couple another and see what your family is happy with.

Good luck.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I turn 10month old roosters into soup. By far the best chicken soup i have ever tasted!
Or cook it off the bone to be used in casseroles or, well, anything really. Unless you want a fryer or roasting chicken, letting thfm reach full size produces more meat for your buck.

 

[Mtnboomer]

QUOTE="Mrs. K, post: 22397507, member: 44444"]
If they are egg laying roosters
[/QUOTE]
Never heard of an egg laying rooster. Must be a new breed.
Jk i know what you meant just funny how it sounds.

 

[Assuncao CostaPinto]

It depends on the breed - standard pullets can reach 1,5 Kg with just 2 ,5 months;naked necks will grow slower but their meat is much harder (the longer you let then grow the harder the meat will be) so...you can eat them as long as they have enough meat for one meal!(broth;grilled;baked,etc...) Don´t process to many at the time otherwise you´ll be overwhelmed

 

[Ridgerunner]

If your purpose is behaviors, process whenever the behaviors tell you to. You get what meat you get, likely not much.

If your purpose is meat then the longer you wait the more meat you get, to a point. I personally don't butcher my dual purpose cockerels until at least 16 weeks with 23 weeks my preferred age. Others have different personal preferences as to age.

As others mentioned their age has a big effect on how you can cook them. The older they get the more you need a slow moist method of cooking in general. As always with chickens there is an exception. Pressure cooking is moist but not slow. I prefer mine baked at 23 weeks but there are many other ways to cook them at that age. No matter the age the bones plus the parts you typically don't eat like the neck and back make great broth. If you don't eat the liver your dogs will love them.

I don't know how practical this might be for you, but many people separate out the cockerels if behaviors become a problem and keep them in a bachelor pad. If there are no females to fight over they generally don't fight that seriously. If they can't get to the females they can't bother the females. This means extra fencing and shelter plus if yours forage for a lot of their food they can't do that anymore and you have to supply their food.

I raise my cockerels and pullets with the flock. Since I hatch mine sometimes I have more cockerels than pullets, sometimes the other way around. I typically hatch around 45 chicks a year. I have a lot of room, a big coop, two satellite shelters, and over 50 square feet per chicken outside when they are crowded. They can be outside all day every day. I think room is important.

The cockerels do bother the pullets, force mate them, but the pullets don't get hurt. Others have had pullets get hurt, it is mating by force. The cockerels fight but only once in all these years have I had one seriously injured. He died. It can happen. About every three or four years it gets rowdy enough down there that I separate many of the cockerels out and raise them in my "grow-out" coop and pen until butcher size. To me most of that behavior is chickens being chickens, but even for me it can get too rough. For many people that can be really hard to watch. Go with how you feel.

I certainly agree with cull as you go. They do not all mature at the same rate. Typically the early maturing ones grow faster and act up earlier. To me it's the most efficient way to do it.