Fattening Up Cockerels

[pebojuno]

Hi,
I have a surplus of cockerels at the moment and despite trying to rehome them (they're nearly all pure bred birds so was worth a try!) I am left with 2 cream legbars, some pekin x polish, and there may be some others once I have worked out if the youngest birds are pullets or not! :?

My OH is happy to dispatch and prepare them for table and the children and I would have no problems in eating a chicken which has led such a charmed existence- in comparison to a supermarket bird.

My question is, as the Legbars are a light breed and the bantams obviously small, is there a way of getting them to put on a bit of weight ready for the table? At the moment they are free range and as they are used to this, I don't really want to pen them? Any ideas?

Nicky

 

[snifter]

This time of year it can be hard work to fatten them up. I'd leave them to free range as this makes for the best texture and quality of meat.

I'd be inclined to give mash using some pellets in warm water as I find the chooks seem to prefer it and scoff loads. Cold winter mornings Ready Brek (shops own brand equivalent is fine) is great too with warm water. Then a bit of extra corn, pasta/rice, that sort of thing.

I reared Sassos for the table and had them finished in early December one year and they were great. But then they are table birds so gaining weight wasn't such an issue.

 

[pebojuno]

Thanks for the advice- at the moment the are having growers pellets, some mixed corn and any veg scraps etc- as well as whatever they find in the snow! - may well get some mash if it helps them fatten up a bit!
Is it worth cooking a bantam whole or is it easier to remove the breast- like a pigeon?

 

[Anonymous]

I've just remembered,when I got my RIR hen she was overweight,her previous owner used to give her mashed potatoe.Apparently she loved it........

 

[snifter]

Thanks for the advice- at the moment the are having growers pellets, some mixed corn and any veg scraps etc- as well as whatever they find in the snow! - may well get some mash if it helps them fatten up a bit!
Is it worth cooking a bantam whole or is it easier to remove the breast- like a pigeon?

I'd not bother getting mash, just use your growers pellets and add water.

TBH I'd say its not worth doing either with banties, but thats just me. I never worry about eating banties, just cull them. I know a couple of people who sometimes pot surplus cockerels. It takes about 2-4 to make a decent meal though. I'd be inclined to put them in a pot and make a casserole and then take the meat off the carcass when well cooked and pop it all back into the casserole.

Its mostly feathering with Pekins and the actual bird when plucked is small.