Big time breeders . . .

[scoopy82]

Hi all,
A few questions for the breeders than produce large ammount of chicks.
What do you do with all your unwanted cockerels? If you cull them - at what age do you do this? Do you do it as soon as you know they are males, or do you grow them to a certain age and then cull for your own use or find alternatives for them?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think you will find people that do all sorts of things depending in why we are hatching chicks. Why are you hatching chicks? Why do you want to get rid of the cockerels? Why you are hatching will determine when you might want to get rid of the excess cockerels, and maybe the pullets too.

I only hatch enough chicks to keep us in meat so none of mine are really unwanted. I'm usually pretty pleased with the cockerels because they are better for meat. I eat all the chickens, male or female, that I don't want in my laying/breeding flock so I grow mine until I eat them.