Butchering Roosters

[Thedukelife]

Good info! And thank you everyone. Odds are I think I'm still gonna butcher at 10-12 weeks, it'll just help with space needs and I'd just rather not spend another 8-10 weeks worth of food on roosters.

 

[junebuggena]

If I get two pounds a bird, I'd be fine with that. We pay about $5/lb for chicken and I added the costs up, and it should be a bit under $7 per chicken for the organic feed we get.

Two pounds is a generous estimate. Most will probably be closer to 1.5. Just another month, and you can end up with about 4 to 5 pounds per bird.

 

[junebuggena]

What breeds are you considering?
I've had really great success with my Easter Egger/Barred Rock mixes.

This is a 3rd generation cockerel at just 11 weeks old. Selectively breeding for large size, good egg production, and fast growth rate is really starting to pay off.

 

[Thedukelife]

That's true. I appreciate the information! That's probably a better bet! Thanks for the info. And also usually organic chickens/chicks go for more, do you think that I could get $5 a piece of mixed breeds straight run, and maybe lessen the price if they get more than one?

 

[junebuggena]

That's true. I appreciate the information! That's probably a better bet! Thanks for the info. And also usually organic chickens/chicks go for more, do you think that I could get $5 a piece of mixed breeds straight run, and maybe lessen the price if they get more than one?

Organic chicks do not sell for more. Sorry. At that price, a person can order sexed pullets, pay the shipping and still not spend that much per chick. Straight run can be difficult to sell, depending on the time of year.

 

[Thedukelife]

What breeds are you considering? I've had really great success with my Easter Egger/Barred Rock mixes. This is a 3rd generation cockerel at just 11 weeks old. Selectively breeding for large size, good egg production, and fast growth rate is really starting to pay off.

So they will all be hybrids other than the BO!

 

[Thedukelife]

Organic chicks do not sell for more. Sorry. At that price, a person can order sexed pullets, pay the shipping and still not spend that much per chick. Straight run can be difficult to sell, depending on the time of year.

Also, organic chicks do sell for more. Why would organic chickens and organic eggs sell for more, but organic chicks don't?

 

[Thedukelife]

What breeds are you considering? I've had really great success with my Easter Egger/Barred Rock mixes. This is a 3rd generation cockerel at just 11 weeks old. Selectively breeding for large size, good egg production, and fast growth rate is really starting to pay off.

Also, I really like your info and pics! The chickens look amazing!! Thanks you so much!

 

[junebuggena]

Also, organic chicks do sell for more. Why would organic chickens and organic eggs sell for more, but organic chicks don't?

Because if you're buying day old chicks, it doesn't really matter. You can get day old, 'purebred' sexed chicks for less than $2 from a hatchery. If they don't receive vaccinations, they are about as organic as it gets. That is what you are competing against.
People are willing to pay more for organic eggs to avoid the potential effects of the GMO feed. Same thing goes for the older chickens.

 

[SIMZ]

I'm not sure an organic chick counts for much, sorry to say. That only makes a difference with laying hens or meat birds. I don't even know that you'll get much more for organically raised pullets.

We will cull cockerels around 10 weeks and sometimes find a few big enough to crock pot. You certainly wouldn't be able to sell them for meat, though.