When to butcher my roosters?

[10AcreChick]

X 2 - point of lay pullets demand a pretty nice price, much better than the amount of meat you'd get from pullets at that age.

Hatchery stock BO are not big, meaty birds to begin with and at 16 weeks the cockerels are still in the "lanky teenager" stage so that is not a surprising size/weight. As to whether it is worth it to you or not is a matter of your own opinion of what the "worth it" point would be for the work/meat ratio.

These are the sons of the hatchery stock, was hoping to breed some of the weight back. And I picked one of the biggest dual purpose breeds they had! I am starting to get disappointed in this experiment. I hope I dont end up with a bunch of cat food!

 

[TinyBirds]

Just wait 4 more weeks and it should be fine by then I think. Maybe next time you can try saipan(ideal poultry). They are very sweet birds and eat from my hand.

 

[chefchick]

Is this a thing? Does Roo meat taste different than hen meat?

I think older chickens in general taste different than the cornish x meat birds I raise. Not bad, just different. The texture seems to be stringy at best, sometimes tough as nails, especially in roos, but long slow cooking helps some. Personally, we don't bother eating them anymore. Unless they get sick, or hens stay with the flock until they die of old age. They are my pets and I have a certain ick feeling about eating my pets- I don't judge those who can, just a personal preference. The Cornish are purchased knowing the end result will be food, so we a kind to them, but do not snuggle and make friends with them. I try not to buy roos on purpose (other than the Cornish), but if we happen to get too many after a straight run purchase, I try to rehome them or give them to a friend who takes them to auction.