If you want one to eat, kill a Jake or a young hen. The older birds are just naturally tougher. The drumsticks on an old bird are tougher than whang leather, and you can't hardly get your fork in the gravy. Not to say they don't taste good, just a little "chewyier" if you know what I mean.
I usually oven roast them in a cooking bag, and set the timer to "submission".