Collection: Christmas Cockerels (Capons)

Our free range Christmas Cockerels, known as Capons in mainland Europe, are super succulent and suitable to feed large parties.    A cockerel makes the perfect alternative to the traditional turkey. We allow them to grow slowly, at a pace that is more natural to them.  With a life span of 130 days compared to the average supermarket chicken, which is reared to 38 days, they are grown to maturity resulting in super large sizes and fabulous moist meat.   Slow rearing allows the birds to lay down fat, adding to the flavour and succulence when cooking, and when ready to eat, has a concentrated flavour that tastes as chicken should taste. Reared in free range with access to shelter, they have extensive space and room to roam.  They are fed on a natural cereal based diet with no artificial additives or growth stimulants being added to their feed.  Our Christmas Cockerels are hand-plucked and dry aged in a temperature controlled environment. When is a Capon not a Capon?  Caponisation is illegal in the UK but still widely practiced in mainland Europe.  Essentially it is a process which can be physical or with hormones, which neuters the cockerel allowing the bird to become plump for the table.  We do not caponise our Cockerels.  Our rearing method, along with the naturally waning day length during their rearing, means that this practice is totally unnecessary.