When to take away Roo's

[yellowchick]

I have 14 week old BO's. 9 girls and 3 roo's. When do I need to get rid of the 2 extra roo's? One is crowing and has been for 3 weeks now. He is also the one I'm keeping, the other 2 are dinner. I can't separate them because I only have one coop.

 

[TexasVet]

The best time to butcher them is before they start crowing/mating. Once they're mature, hormones will turn the meat dark, tough, and gamey.

I didn't know that until I read Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens! The first rooster I tried eating was almost 2, and it was a total waste of time. The meat was as dark and tough as shoe leather... and that was after I stewed him all day in a crock pot!

Storey also advises keeping cleaned birds in the fridge for a couple of days before cooking or freezing them. It ages the meat and makes it more tender.

Kathy in Texas

 

[aberfitch]

awsome advice

 

[Mahonri]

Do a search. Miss Prissy had a recipe for old hens, roos and turkeys... after you process them.

 

[Cindy in PA]

So you have to eat them by 12 weeks then? There is nothing to them at that time, however I never had a rooster not crow by 12 weeks. I had always heard 6 months or so for dual purpose breeds.

 

[the1much]

ive had a 9 month old rir roo,, he was 1 of the best chicken dinnahs we've had.

 

[yellowchick]

I noticed this weekend that the roo we're keeping is starting to mate with the girls. They will all be 15 weeks old this Wednesday. Should I also put the nesting boxes in the coop?

 

[CANDLE98]

Update this thred when you eat your roo's, I would like to know also because I have 10 BR roos that are 5 weeks old and they are going to be dinner.

 

[the1much]

Quote:
yup,, the sooner you put them in, the sooner they get used to it,, and the sooner they can start practicing

 

[cluckychick]

Just a suggestion and possibly not right so hopefully someone else with knowledge will chime in but...If I had roos I knew I was gonna eat i would probably finish them out a couple weeks on some high protein grower feed and add a few extra pounds to them before butchering.