anxious about hatching roos

[Suburban Sprouts]

I like the security of buying sexed day old chicks, but my obsession with olive colored eggs has led me to purchase some barred ameraucana cross hatching eggs... I'm really, REALLY excited to hatch a few eggs myself, but I'm also getting extremely anxious over what I'll do with any male chicks that hatch.

I can't have a rooster where I live and Craig's list in my area seems to have tons of postings of people trying to rehome roos.

Can anyone give me comforting words or some advice in this area? Does anyone else get ROOxiety when hatching?? Perhaps someone can say, "I never have a problem rehoming male chicks!"

In the meantime, I'll just hope and pray that I get a miracle batch of pullets!

 

[Tala]

I had bad luck with straight run chicks this year. Twice I bought "trios" only to end up with 2 boys out of the 3..... I think I have about 20 cockerels in the yard.....

We eat them. Also raw feed the dogs, so we do use the meat. I don't have a problem killing something FOR A PURPOSE.

Maybe if you post them on Craig's list someone else will eat them if you can't?? Offer them in a "don't tell me what you're gonna do with them" kind of way???

 

[domino7]

I think it is easy to get rid of them. Just don't expect anything for them lol.

 

[Akane]

I never have a problem rehoming roo chicks cause I whack their heads off and give them to the dogs.

It does help if you have extra hens to sell. Usually the easiest way I get rid of roos is to offer them up free with the purchase of extra pullets or older laying hens.

 

[SuziQ991]

I just got rid of a 8 month old roo on the St. Louis craigslist a few weeks ago. First time I listed him for $5 and received no replies. The I posted him for free and immediately 2 people contacted me. I did ask him what he was going to do with the roo and he said he just built a 10x10 coop and had 12 hens waiting for him.

 

[PunkinPeep]

If you don't have a problem with their future including someone's dinner table, you can look for local farmers - or just people like me - who will take unwanted roos for free and raise them in a happy friendly environment until time for butcher. You might be able to find a contact like that here on BYC. There are several threads that will connect you with people in your area.

 

[claud]

If you have several - like 5 or more- and they are close to full-grown AND you don't mind them being used for dinner they will be easy to get rid of if you advertise them.

 

[Suburban Sprouts]

Thanks everyone! I think I could come to terms with a roo ending up on a dinner table as long as he was cared for beforehand. I'm 90% sure though that I couldn't whack the heads off little fuzz ball chicks... I guess I'm still too "city" for that aspect of chicken ownership!

SuziQ991 - I especially thank you! That is really great news to hear that you were able to find a home here in St. Louis! Very encouraging!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

You are wise to address this issue before you hatch more chicks. This is something I think EVERY chicken keeper should consider no matter where they obtain their chicks. Even the most reliable hatcheries cannot guarantee 100% accuracy in sexing chicks.

This is the reality of life for chickens. In an ideal mixed flock the ratio is 1 rooster for every 10-12 hens. And many flocks have no roosters at all. That means there are "job positions" for a mere 10% of all roosters hatched, and a good 90% of them have their purpose on a plate. And really, there are worse things that could happen to a chicken than to provide nourishment for a grateful human family or their priviliged pets.

People who are bothered by this should not hatch more chicks. Certainly there are instances where it's easy to find folks willing to take your unwanted roosters and keep them as pets, breeders, or flock husbands. But you cannot rely on those happy circumstances to occur on a routine basis. Check the classified ads & the Craigslist postings for others offering "free roosters to good homes" and you'll get an idea of the availibility in your area.

If you intend to hatch frequently you might be better off finding a few worthy families in your area willing to take your unwanted roosters as soon as you can identify them, at around 6 weeks or so. You could work out a deal where they'd be available to take these birds as your need arises. Maybe they'd be willing to bring you a bag of chick starter every so often in trade.