what to feed cockerals before slaughter?

[Chic Rustler]

My cocks are about 12 weeks old and still skinny. What should I feed them to fatten them up and make them taste better before slaughter?

 

[NH Homesteader]

Are they skinny because they're young or are they skinny because of the breed they are? I've never done anything special with my cull cockerels, maybe @Beekissed has suggestions for you! She knows chicken feeding WAY more than I do for sure. Mine aren't usually butchered until at least 16-20 weeks though.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Mine were all skinny before I started Fermented Feed (Bee's suggestion!) and free ranging Oct 31st. All my birds gained weight on half the feed! I can't add links on this phone, but I take equal amounts of their pellet feed and water. Mix together. Stir once - twice a day. A white coating will cover it on day two. Wait at least 3 - 5 days before starting to feed to your birds. It should be slightly fluffy ( not wet and sloppy, and not too dry). This will smell fermented, so you might want to keep it in a shed outside. Some people keep it in two 5 gallon buckets so they always have some fermenting. I keep mine in an old cooler. If it's cold outside, I add warm water when I'm first starting it.

 

[Chic Rustler]

maybe breed. Most of them are rir but I have some black sex links. They are twice the size of the rir

 

[Chic Rustler]

Mine were all skinny before I started Fermented Feed (Bee's suggestion!) and free ranging Oct 31st. All my birds gained weight on half the feed! I can't add links on this phone, but I take equal amounts of their pellet feed and water. Mix together. Stir once - twice a day. A white coating will cover it on day two. Wait at least 3 - 5 days before starting to feed to your birds. It should be slightly fluffy ( not wet and sloppy, and not too dry). This will smell fermented, so you might want to keep it in a shed outside. Some people keep it in two 5 gallon buckets so they always have some fermenting. I keep mine in an old cooler. If it's cold outside, I add warm water when I'm first starting it.

So just fermenting regular feed made a difference?

 

[Chic Rustler]

I was thinking about switching them over to cracked corn for a few weeks before time. Idk if that would help or not

 

[Hinotori]

Breed can make a huge difference. Silkies don't get any meat on them until after 6 months old. Ameraucana are almost as bad.

If I had a place to put it, I'd try the fermented feed. Everyone I know who feeds it swears by it.

Beekissed is the one who knows best here

 

[milkmansdaughter]

@Chic Rustler, you and I started this journey about the same time, so I'm no expert. But late last fall I was concerned about how skinny my flock was with winter coming. I only have two young roosters, so I don't separate them out. I have a very mixed flock. Every one of them started gaining weight after I started the Fermented Feed (FF) and free ranging on Oct 31st. Overall, using FF, I use less food, with better results. I also throw out occasional BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds).

 

[tortoise]

Our RIRs are always scrawny. Age doesn't matter. First time we butchered at 21 weeks. Now I prefer to butcher them over a year old and can the meat. Ends up more tender than butchered young. I can the legs (deboned) and breast, then the rest of the carcass into the freezer for soup. I haven't tried fermented food. Maybe this year. To reduce waste moreso than because I think they'll gain better.