Another year full of cockerels....

[ShannonR]

There is a place that will do DNA sexing:
http://iqbirdtesting.com/information/dna-bird-gender-determination/

Is that what is used to sex emu?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am having a lazy brain morning...what does this mean?

It means the determination of gender comes from genes contributed by the hen not the rooster...
http://theconversation.com/how-birds-become-male-or-female-and-occasionally-both-112061

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZW_sex-determination_system

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I am having a lazy brain morning...what does this mean?

Unlike mammals with XY chromosomes in males and females with XX.
Birds, most reptiles and some insect females have ZW chromosomes and males have ZZ chromosomes. That means the female dictates the gender of offspring.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

.this would make it so the egg producers wouldn't have baby cockerels to deal with after hatching

Most peeps don't realize that these cockerels aren't simply going to the trash...

They get shipped out for use in zoos and wildlife rehab centers. They also get put into animal feeds and such.

The hatcheries don't really seem to have an issue with what to do with male chicks. It's mostly the misinformed public who has seen chick grinding videos that are raising a stink because they choose to focus on one aspect instead of looking at the big picture.... That's what chicken meal in dog and cat food is.

My guess is any eggs discarded would end up with the same fate and be called egg byproduct or something to that effect.

ETA: they are also used in agriculture fertilizers.

 

[Larry Rose]

Out of 25, only 5 of mine were pullets. Now, that's bad chicken Karma

Look at it like this. That's 20 free chicken dinners! You know where the meat comes from, and it is safer and more tender than "Store Bought" Chicken. I just smile and say Thank You Lord for allowing me to partake in this wonderful meal. Next year will be different.

 

[Larry Rose]

Maybe I'd feel differently if I actually ate my roosters. I can't eat my pets, so I give them away to be eaten most of the time. Sometimes I can find people to take them as pets, but rarely.

A good rule of thumb is, "Never name anything you are going to eat"! Or have someone else slaughter them for you, such as a larger Chicken Farm. Years ago, I got 25 Cockerels with 25 lbs of feed. So I bought two bags. 50 free Roosters that free ranged all summer. When they reached eating weight, I would take two of the bloodiest birds (Because they would fight) and one was Sunday dinner, the other went in the freezer. I had chicken dinner every week for a whole year this way. Worked out perfect because of Easter and Christmas, which was either a Duck or Goose! And do you hate to pluck chickens? I think I was the originator of "Skinned Chicken". A lot faster and more healthy for you. Just bake in a baking bag to prevent drying out in the Oven.

 

[Compost King]

I had a hatch where every chick was a male, half my eggs hatched and I would assume all the females died due to a mistake I made (assumed). If only there was a reverse mistake.
When I hatch out my sexlinks I humanely gas my males and freeze them, then post free Reptile food on craigslist, or I charge a very small fee.

 

[Larry Rose]

Based on scientific study done by chickenmadscientist.com Higher incubator temps equals more Roosters. Lower temps equal more pullets. See problem solved!!!
Well not really I kinda just made that up but it sounded good while typing.

I dropped the temp almost one degree and got more Pullets than Roosters with my last Hatch, so maybe there is something to that. I sell my Roosters at the local Flea Market. I raise Swedish Flower Hens so they always sell fast and for better money than an ordinary chickens. I will never raise anything but Swedes. Calm nice birds that become pets easily. I have the best Rooster I have ever had and I have had Chickens for about 30 years, of assorted breeds. Right now my 10 week old birds fight to be picked up by me! Very loving nice birds. Yes, I am probably getting Senile. I talk to my chickens every day. They are just such a nice Breed. And I am retired.

 

[Larry Rose]

Well I need to rant too. One pullet out of 13 chicks

But you can "Eat your mistakes"! My Chickens free roam most of the time, so they eat a lot of Grasshoppers and other bugs, keeping my feed bill down. So it doesn't cost me as much as some people to raise them to maturity. And they eat anything that we eat. And I have a big garden which helps a lot. Then they are salable at a profit. Or I look at them as a cheap meal. Whatever comes along, bottom line for me is I enjoy them very much. Raising them, watching them, or eating them.

 

[MROO]

I am having a lazy brain morning...what does this mean?

Mama determines the gender.