Cruel disposal of unwanted chicks?

[aoccl]

These roosters are just so slow growing and poor converters they don't produce cheap meat. No way anyone starts their new chicks out free ranging and eating forage only. When you add in all the (even minimal grain) grain costs and time these things are money losers. The amount of meat that one gets out of these roosters is so minimal I don't even consider them worth butchering.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Not arguing. It seems at first glance that those waste egg-breed cockerels would be good for something -- dog food? fertilizer? -- but I suspect if there were a way to make a profit from them, somebody would already be doing so. But oh, the opportunity if somebody came up with something. . .

They do go into something. Bone, blood, and feather meal for gardening and also chicken meal for dog food.

The hatcheries do try to sell them. Male chicks can be purchased really cheap in assorted frying pan specials. Each hatchery offers something different, but they all have some sort of special. Also, males go out as packing peanuts.

I know of at least one hatchery that will give them for free to anyone who will raise them for the food bank or any other charity that feeds the hungry.

The problem is that they have lousy feed conversion and don't produce a lot of meat. It doesn't help low income families to give them birds that will end up quite expensive per pound for meat on the table.

Several types of animal have sexed semen available. It's a bit expensive and only works for artificial insemination. But there are people working on that sort of science and maybe someone will discover a way to get all female hatches with chickens. Any of you BYC'ers who are headed to college, might consider majoring in biology and making that your doctorate research. You know, if you think someone should do something, make that someone you.

 

[WinklerFarms]

There are tons of things scientists can come up with. Just this morning I was watching a special on the science channel about how chickens still carry the genes to grow long tails and teeth, and scientists have caused these genes to become active and get embryos to grow the tails and teeth, much like their ancient ancestors had. Anyways my point is why can't scientists come up with a way to get all female chicks? Or better yet develope a super hybrid where the males grow like cx and the females lay like a leghorn? I know genetics say it isn't really possible but with scientifically initiated mutations and gene replacement there are endless possibilities.

 

[call ducks]

Oragon Blue,

How do they sex the seman? Are there markers they look fo?

 

[ChickenJerk]

There are tons of things scientists can come up with. Just this morning I was watching a special on the science channel about how chickens still carry the genes to grow long tails and teeth, and scientists have caused these genes to become active and get embryos to grow the tails and teeth, much like their ancient ancestors had. Anyways my point is why can't scientists come up with a way to get all female chicks? Or better yet develope a super hybrid where the males grow like cx and the females lay like a leghorn? I know genetics say it isn't really possible but with scientifically initiated mutations and gene replacement there are endless possibilities.

Genetic engineering at its finest!

 

[WinklerFarms]

It is amazing. They are actually working on creating a dinosaur like creature by forcing genes that normally shut off early in development to continue to stay active. They first experimented with chicken but now they are starting to use emus.


Maybe hyline should invest some of their millions into research to create the ideal chicken breed. Make the ultimate dual purpose breed. Or at least find a way to create a breed that lays EGGS that are sex able. That would be cool wouldn't It? A blue egg for males and pink for female? That would be great!

 

[Oregon Blues]

Oragon Blue,

How do they sex the seman? Are there markers they look fo?

It's my understanding that it is done with a very expensive specialized centrifuge.

The process has been used in dairy cows for years and also with top end beef cattle. Sexed semen is available for dogs. I don't know what else, maybe zoo animals.

The thought of an emu with teeth is scary. I hope they don't make too many of those. A chicken size carnivorous dinosaur is scary enough without making them bigger.

 

[aoccl]

Problem with sexing chicken semen is it doesn't have the mass to add the isotopes that allow the sorter machine to tag sperm. Also few chickens are AIed in the industry.

 

[TheNuttyChick]

It's my understanding that it is done with a very expensive specialized centrifuge.

The process has been used in dairy cows for years and also with top end beef cattle. Sexed semen is available for dogs. I don't know what else, maybe zoo animals.

The thought of an emu with teeth is scary. I hope they don't make too many of those. A chicken size carnivorous dinosaur is scary enough without making them bigger.

It's Jurassic Park all over again!​

 

[call ducks]

After looking, it seems that in cattle one way to do is to locate seperate the seamen and then "tag" the female with positve, and male negitave then they are sorted that way. But yes costly costly costly