[hen-night]

After reading a topic on breeding it would seem that a large number of hatching birds are cockerels. Cockerels being culled upwards of 10 at a time, so what happens to them are they eaten, can you eat them..Aden..

[bantam novice]

Hello there,
I believe that you can eat cockerels so long as they are not too old.  They can get quite stringy in their second year. 

[hen-night]

Its just that i've never heard of anyone eating cockerels, not around here anyway.

[joyfull]

yes you can. If they are old you can also steam them before roasting them 

[evie2]

Its just that i've never heard of anyone eating cockerels, not around here anyway.

Oh, we do

[hen-night]

Right, only thought about having a go at incubating some eggs sometime in the future.
If you can eat the ones that are culled its not a waste.

[joyfull]

just make sure you are able to do the deed, not everybody can. I can cull but my other half wont eat our birds because he has fed and talked to them 

[Spana]

We've done 24 in the last 2 weeks.The hens are laying so much better now they have the time  

Because mine are running about free range right to the end the legs are a bit yuk, even the dog turns her nose up.  So i just skin the breast and take the meat from the bones and pack away in portions in the freezer. I also cut the side of the carcass with secateurs and take some of the livers out. Both me and the dog like those

There's always a meal of some sort on a bird no matter how scrawny it is

[hen-night]

Thanks everyone, clear on the cockerels now..Aden..

[Squibbs]

I've been mostly turning my cockerels into sausages.

The last batch became chicken and leek - though I do need to add more leek next time.

The livers and hearts are a real treat, we fight over them!

The testicles - well I followed Mr Blumenthal's lead - interesting taste - but not really to my liking - so they go to the dog.

[Tony H]

Hi i feel a bit daft now i used to work in a slaughter house but never thought about eating the cockerels (dow)

[hen-night]

Me neither, sausages sounds great and the livers seem popular. Going to have a good study on the subject of incubating, best to be well prepaired.