What do you do with Day old roosters?

[bruceh]

I'm going to be getting started in incubating and hatching - working on breeding some Columbian Rock Crosses (Columbian Roo/RIR Hen)

If I get roos I'll keep them and get rid of them on craigslist or raise them and process them for dinners. But I'm a hobbyist, not a professional trying to make a living off of chickens - if I was a professional I don't know if I'd want to deal with the hassle of craigslist or wasting feed on them.

i did just what your saying. the roosters make great chicken soup.

 

[bruceh]

I didn't put in the ad that I'm going to kill and feed the chicks to my ferrets. I just stated on this thread that any left over will be fed to the ferrets. I've obviously upset a few people on this thread, That isn't what I plan to do. I refuse to keep the roosters for the simple fact is I cannot afford to feed something that is worthless to me and others, I've tried to get rid of the roosters, And thats all I can do apart from hope someone takes them for the right reasons. Sadly, others left over will have to be dispatched, Thats just a way of life I'm afraid.

i see that you are in the country part of england. i see no one has mentioned caponizing. the rooster will not crow and you can bring them to slaughter weight faster. they will also be tender. if you dig around someone will show you how. if i was near you i would take them all.

 

[Baxter-Shamo]

I know how to do it, But I cant be doing that to an animal when its not under an anaesthetic of some kind. I never knew that about the growth rate though! And I think its also illegal here in the UK. :L

 

[luckychik]

I guess I am lucky cause I have 5 roosters and 6 hens and they all get along well.

 

[Stephanie739]

I guess I am lucky cause I have 5 roosters and 6 hens and they all get along well.

I have a high roo to hen ratio too. They get along well, but the roosters always want to mate. One jumps on, and they all pile on! I have all the girls separated now while they regrow back feathers! The poor boys just walk all along the perimeter of the fence looking for a way in lol

 

[bruceh]

I know how to do it, But I cant be doing that to an animal when its not under an anaesthetic of some kind. I never knew that about the growth rate though! And I think its also illegal here in the UK. :L

don't know about uk law .i am going to look it up. yes a caponized bird will grow quickly and be very tender also because of fat the bird will be self basting in the oven. as far as anaesthetic i am not sue i will look into that.

the welsummer breed is a great bird. i just added some to my flock.

i wish i was there i would take them all.

 

[LinkieLueville]

Yes. I am sure. I know keepers, breeders, ferreters, hunters & Most of them go to the weekly market to buy roosters, Young and old, cheap (we're looking 10 pence to 60 pence a rooster)- to keep up with food on their ferrets and dogs.
where I live (Country part of England) that's all they're good for.

I have not read through all of the responses, but in my opinion, selling your excess roosters to feed other animals sounds like a good idea. I'm sure buying local roosters for feed is much better for their animals than eating a commercially produced feed. Whether you kill them at a day old, give them to someone else to use as animal food or save them for later to eat on your table, they're all going to end up dead. Just a part of life. I'd look at what saves you the most time and money to raise the chickens you do want to keep.

 

[lovinchicks]

Yeah for mostly hens!! I have 2 Welsummers. Mine are not the prettiest girls, but their nice. They're the first ones to come find the treats, lol.

 

[suki'smom]

All my extra roo chicks are kept, fed, and butchered at 4-5 months old. I can sell all pullets because I don't mind keeping the roos. They earn their keep by feeding me and my family. Also at a day old their is no way to tell what the quality of the bird will be as an adult. If you are breeding them then the only way to keep the best quality specimens is to raise them up and see what they turn out to be. The killing of a perfectly good day old roo is a waste.

 

[WinklerFarms]

What do y all think the larger commercial hatcheries do with unwanted male chicks. A lot of them go into pig feed.

Keeping all roosters to butcher is a novel idea but if you are hatching out chicks in the 1000s it isn't practical to keep them all.I have been able to line up customers to take batches of 300 plus day old cockerels but if I were to hatch only sex links all the time I would runout of customers to take the males in a hurry.