At what age......................?

[Sylviaanne]

I'm not sure how to phrase this. I don't like the word kill. I have way too many baby roos and don't want to keep that many. At what age do I need to do what I have to do?

I think I can do what I need to do but I really don't want to pluck them. That is sooo messy. Sylvia

 

[Pyxis]

Most people use the word "cull" for things like this If you're not going to process them, and it sounds like you aren't if you aren't going to pluck them (although you could skin them) you can just do it whenever they become a nuisance, e.i when they start crowing, overbreeding the hens, etc.

 

[Sylviaanne]

Ok, what does processing them mean? Preparing them to eat? That is what I meant. Thanks, Sylvia

 

[Pyxis]

Yep, processing them is preparing them to eat. Most people process them once they start crowing, although you can wait until they get bigger if you want. The meat would just be less tender and you would have to cook them longer.

 

[Sylviaanne]

That's about 4 months old? Thanks, Sylvia

 

[Csoldan]

That's about 4 months old? Thanks, Sylvia

Sorry, my wheaton marans roo started crowing at 2 months. Although I have an ameraucana the same age and he doesn't crow yet at 3 months. He's very submissive to the marans so that could be the reason.

 

[Pyxis]

I think it can vary a lot. My two roosters never crowed until six months. I think about four months is when most people do it if they don't have the room to let them grow and fill out more.

 

[Sylviaanne]

I think it can vary a lot. My two roosters never crowed until six months. I think about four months is when most people do it if they don't have the room to let them grow and fill out more.

It's not that I don't have the room, it's that I already have 2 roosters and just hatched 24 babies - 5 weeks old and I have to assume that at least half of them are cockerels. I also have 9 - 2 week old chicks and now 9 - 4 day old chicks. I also have guinea eggs and chicken eggs from an abandoned nest in my incubator. I also bought 8 chickens about the same time the 24 hatched. They hatched a week early because one of the hens had already started them when she abandoned the nest. I really have to assume I have a lot of roosters up and coming.

I'd love to caponize them but don't know how, nor do I know of anyone near me who knows how.

 

[Pyxis]

It's not that I don't have the room, it's that I already have 2 roosters and just hatched 24 babies - 5 weeks old and I have to assume that at least half of them are cockerels. I also have 9 - 2 week old chicks and now 9 - 4 day old chicks. I also have guinea eggs and chicken eggs from an abandoned nest in my incubator. I also bought 8 chickens about the same time the 24 hatched. They hatched a week early because one of the hens had already started them when she abandoned the nest.  I really have to assume I have a lot of roosters up and coming.

I'd love to caponize them but don't know how, nor do I know of anyone near me who knows how.

There's actually a really good guide on how to caponize on here somewhere, I'll see if I can find it for you.

Oh, here it is: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/210041/how-to-caponize-a-rooster-warning-graphic-pics

 

[Sylviaanne]

There's actually a really good guide on how to caponize on here somewhere, I'll see if I can find it for you.

Oh, here it is: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/210041/how-to-caponize-a-rooster-warning-graphic-pics

Thank you. I had read that but it's one thing reading it and even if I practiced on a deceased roo, I don't believe it's like caponizing a living bird. I would never be able to do it a second time if I screwed it up and nicked an artery in a living bird that I didn't mean to kill.