Black Star/Sex Link as Meat Chickens

[NicholeT]

I incubated and ended up with 5 cockerels. If I can't rehome at least 3 (we plan to try to keep 2 with 13 pullets) we plan to cull them. Should I separate 3 cockerels and feed them differently in anticipation or should I just leave them with the flock on the same feed. I have seen different ages and weights for culling- anyone ever cull Black Star's? They are listed to be dual purpose but the guy at the feed store said they don't make great meat birds so I'm curious if anyone else has had experience. Thanks in advance.

 

[FunClucks]

You could either separate or keep with the flock. For me, it would be as much about behavior issues as gaining weight. Too many cockerels is why folks create/use bachelor pads.

Most folks recommend to butcher a dual purpose cockerel at 4-6 months if you want it to be tender, but others are perfectly happy with year old birds or spent hens, it's all about how you plan to cook them. Low heat, slow moist methods for older birds. I recently cooked a year old Production Red rooster (similar to a black star in that they're bred for high egg laying) in a pressure cooker with chicken soup veggies and some water, and he was delicious and super tender! You can eat any chicken, regardless of size. [People raise and eat quail, and those are tiny.] Age and cooking method determine whether it's tough, tender, and degree of palatability.

I hatched out 20 in January, and only have 4 confirmed hens. No way am I finding a home for ~15 cockerels. I have them in a bachelor pad, and could either feed them meat bird food or all flock food. I've been feeding them 18% all-flock because I got it on sale. By 4-6 months I don't expect more than 3.5 lbs or so dressed weight. Their sire was about that at a year old. How you pen and feed them is all about your goals, really. Raising ~15 production red mix cockerels to butchering age is more expensive than growing out cornish cross chicks, but it didn't seem right to euthanize the roosters at 3 weeks. So they'll get 4-6 good months and one bad day, and I'll get some delicious meat in my freezer.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Black Star is a marketing name for black sex links. They are not a breed so there are no standards for them. There are two type of black sex links sold by the hatcheries we use. One is the commercial hybrid egg laying chickens. This type has a fairly small body so more of what they eat can go to egg production instead of having to maintain a larger body. The other type are generally crosses of dual purpose breeds, often a Rhode Island Red rooster of over a Barred Rock hen but other breeds can be used. These chickens are similar to the dual purpose chickens that are their parents. If you know which hatchery yours came from we might be able to tell you which type you have so we could guess size. Or what were the parents if they were from your eggs?

the guy at the feed store said they don't make great meat birds so I'm curious if anyone else has had experience.

We all have our own definition of what makes a great meat bird. It's something like asking someone if a restaurant is great or what is the greatest TV show. We all have our opinions and they are not all the same.

culling- anyone ever cull Black Star's? They are listed to be dual purpose

I've butchered Red Sex Links, in this case Rhode Island Red roosters over Rhode Island White hens. Similar to Black Sex Links. They were just like any other dual purpose chicken. And I've butchered dual purpose chicken breeds and dual purpose mutts.

Since you want to keep two of the five, I suggest you raise them with your flock and feed them what the flock eats. They will get a little bigger if you isolate them and feed them a meat bird feed, but I don't consider that as valuable as what you get raising them with the flock. You should find a lot of differences in size and even behavior between those five. When I'm replacing my rooster I have certain standards I want and start butchering the ones that don't meet that standard. It is usually pretty easy to eliminate most of them so when you get to the final choice you have some pretty good specimens to choose from.

 

[NicholeT]

Black Star is a marketing name for black sex links. They are not a breed so there are no standards for them. There are two type of black sex links sold by the hatcheries we use. One is the commercial hybrid egg laying chickens. This type has a fairly small body so more of what they eat can go to egg production instead of having to maintain a larger body. The other type are generally crosses of dual purpose breeds, often a Rhode Island Red rooster of over a Barred Rock hen but other breeds can be used. These chickens are similar to the dual purpose chickens that are their parents. If you know which hatchery yours came from we might be able to tell you which type you have so we could guess size. Or what were the parents if they were from your eggs?


We all have our own definition of what makes a great meat bird. It's something like asking someone if a restaurant is great or what is the greatest TV show. We all have our opinions and they are not all the same.


I've butchered Red Sex Links, in this case Rhode Island Red roosters over Rhode Island White hens. Similar to Black Sex Links. They were just like any other dual purpose chicken. And I've butchered dual purpose chicken breeds and dual purpose mutts.

Since you want to keep two of the five, I suggest you raise them with your flock and feed them what the flock eats. They will get a little bigger if you isolate them and feed them a meat bird feed, but I don't consider that as valuable as what you get raising them with the flock. You should find a lot of differences in size and even behavior between those five. When I'm replacing my rooster I have certain standards I want and start butchering the ones that don't meet that standard. It is usually pretty easy to eliminate most of them so when you get to the final choice you have some pretty good specimens to choose from.

What rooster qualities do you consider to meet your standards?

 

[Ridgerunner]

What rooster qualities do you consider to meet your standards?

My goals are not purely for meat. I like to play with genetics so meat is kind of secondary. For example, I wanted red and black mottled chickens that lay green eggs and the hens went broody a lot. Once I developed that I wondered what would happen if I introduce buff to that mix. So I'm just playing around.

But I do raise mine to eat. I eat both the girls and the boys. There are only two of us and I can get two meals from a small hen or pullet so size is not all-important like it is for many people. I still like a larger cockerel since that means I get leftover chicken for my lunches.

I start butchering mine at 16 weeks but really like to eat them at 23 weeks. That suits the way I raise them and the way I cook them. Since I'm playing with genetics I raise a new flock master practically every year. At 16 weeks I start putting the obvious rejects in the freezer so at the end I have my best specimens to choose from. So what am I looking for once I get past the colors/patterns or whatever I'm breeding for?

One is early maturity. Since I start butchering at 16 weeks, I want them decent sized by then. I think early maturity can make a better mannered flock master. And I'm looking at size. I do want them larger, it is one of my goals. Size is mostly a tie breaker if all else is equal but it always comes into play.

I obviously reject any defects. That should go without saying but it's probably worth saying. Cross beaks, crooked toes, anything that is just not right.

I look at behaviors. Any human aggression is out, an immediate disqualifier. Some are brutes, really rough toward other cockerels and the hens/pullets. Or some are such wimps that they will never have the spirit to be good flock masters and take control of the flock. These wimps do not keep a peaceful flock. These are the hard decisions because I'm still dealing with immature cockerels that can change personality as they mature. I don't always get this part right, I just do the best I can, but sometimes it becomes obvious.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Butcher at 14 weeks, light salt brine and toss them on the grill. Save your money in feed and cull them early when grilling age. If you've never eaten a "dual purpose " bird, or butchered for that matter, then try them young to save time and money to decide if it's your thing. For most people it is not. Meat has more flavor and of course the carcass is mostly leg with thin breast meat. Contemporary citizens are accustomed to supermarket birds and typically stay away from traditional birds after first butchering.

 

[LilRedmamma]

You could either separate or keep with the flock. For me, it would be as much about behavior issues as gaining weight. Too many cockerels is why folks create/use bachelor pads.

Most folks recommend to butcher a dual purpose cockerel at 4-6 months if you want it to be tender, but others are perfectly happy with year old birds or spent hens, it's all about how you plan to cook them. Low heat, slow moist methods for older birds. I recently cooked a year old Production Red rooster (similar to a black star in that they're bred for high egg laying) in a pressure cooker with chicken soup veggies and some water, and he was delicious and super tender! You can eat any chicken, regardless of size. [People raise and eat quail, and those are tiny.] Age and cooking method determine whether it's tough, tender, and degree of palatability.

I hatched out 20 in January, and only have 4 confirmed hens. No way am I finding a home for ~15 cockerels. I have them in a bachelor pad, and could either feed them meat bird food or all flock food. I've been feeding them 18% all-flock because I got it on sale. By 4-6 months I don't expect more than 3.5 lbs or so dressed weight. Their sire was about that at a year old. How you pen and feed them is all about your goals, really. Raising ~15 production red mix cockerels to butchering age is more expensive than growing out cornish cross chicks, but it didn't seem right to euthanize the roosters at 3 weeks. So they'll get 4-6 good months and one bad day, and I'll get some delicious meat in my freezer.

This is appreciated info bc my two BSs lay daily but are aggressive. They're soon to be culled regardless... tired of getting pecked on and the ISAbs get bullied.

 

[BenChickenRaising]

Butcher at 14 weeks, light salt brine and toss them on the grill. Save your money in feed and cull them early when grilling age. If you've never eaten a "dual purpose " bird, or butchered for that matter, then try them young to save time and money to decide if it's your thing. For most people it is not. Meat has more flavor and of course the carcass is mostly leg with thin breast meat. Contemporary citizens are accustomed to supermarket birds and typically stay away from traditional birds after first butchering.

Do you keep them separate from a laying flock for the 14weeks? And what feed do you like to use for them?
Thanks for the advice. I actually just did my first round of butchering today and it’s something we want to keep up, so we’re trying to figure out our game plan.