Age to best sell/give away roosters?

[Shaunassy]

Hello everyone,
I had bought 6 straightrun chicks from a local Ameraucana breeder and unfortunately 4 of the 6 turned out to be roos. I have neither the amount of hens nor the extra coop space to get the numbers of hens needed to accommodate all four cockerels although i wish I could and love them all. I want to get rid of two but Im unsure if they are to young yet to appeal to anyone. They will be 4 monthes Sept 7th, the wheaton boy I will be getting rid of has just started crowing (or trying to anyway) last week and the black one (also getting rid of) has yet to crow. Of the two I will be keeping, my lav roo has started crowing a few weeks ago while the other wheaton I will be keeping hasnt yet. They are with 2 americauna pullets their age and share a coop at night with 9 laying hens but none have tried to mate any yet or establish themselves in the main flock as when they free range they tend to stay in a mini flock of their age while the big girls go elsewhere. Sorry for the long story just wanted to give some backround info lol. Here are the two boys I will be getting rid of:

I want them to go to good homes but should I wait until they are older so they may be more appealing or is it ok to sell/give them away now?

 

[Pork Pie]

Maybe you could advertise them on the "animals in need of re-homing" forum? If so, please remember to include your town, so people know where you live. Maybe also try your state thread?

CT

 

[Shaunassy]

Thanks do you think they are to young to rehome?

 

[DancingWthDucks]

There is no harm in trying whilst they are quite young, if you don't want them to be eaten just state on your advert. I would try to rehome them as soon as possible since the longer you keep them the more they eat- especially if you are giving them away for free.

 

[Shaunassy]

I def dont want them eaten so stating that is a good idea. Im just worried if one gets adopted and thrown into a flock of mature hens he wont be able to hold his own or something.

 

[Pork Pie]

I def dont want them eaten so stating that is a good idea. Im just worried if one gets adopted and thrown into a flock of mature hens he wont be able to hold his own or something.

Thats something that you can never guarantee, I'm afraid. Even if he does get thrown in at the deep end, he will manage, don't worry.

 

[Shaunassy]

Your prob right, thanks for the help yall.

 

[Pork Pie]

 

[dekel18042]

I def dont want them eaten so stating that is a good idea. Im just worried if one gets adopted and thrown into a flock of mature hens he wont be able to hold his own or something.

IMHO, that wouldn't be a problem at all. Perhaps the best thing that could happen to him. Why? Again MHO only, I think the best tempered roosters are the ones who come up through the ranks, so to speak. Not the ones who were on top from day one.
My young ones are raised with the flock, but if I have any raised with only a clutch their own age and I see they are lording it over the girls and don't like what I'm seeing, I've pulled them out and either thrown them in with my laying hens or into the bachelor pad.
The first time I did that, the cockerel was really acting like a brat and I was thinking seriously he had to go....soon! I stood by in case he needed rescuing. Nope. Once he stopped being a jerk, which happened pretty quickly, they let him alone, and ones tossed in with the layers settled down and learned manners quickly.
Some became very good flock roosters here or elsewhere. Had they kept on their path of ill behavior they would have gotten their walking papers.

 

[Shaunassy]

If thats the case my Roosters should be perfectly behaved gentleman. Since they were a month old they have been sharing the coop and run with my laying hens and my hens def rule the roost and keep the boys in line. I was just worried because I know they say never just throw one bird in because they can get hurt or killed by being bullyed by other hens so I was afraid the same would apply to a unmature or barely matured roo.