Cruel disposal of unwanted chicks?

[Fred's Hens]

So why not find these INHUMANE meanies and take the blender babies home...grow them and sale them...their loss is your profit!

Worldwide estimates of commercial, hybrid laying birds hatched is 7 Billion. Co-oresponding number of unneeded, unwanted hybrid cockerels? Obviously, 7 Billion.

Dispatching them in a quick and decent fashion? Yes. Finding "homes" for them? Impossible.

What is needed is technology to sex eggs before being placed in hatching trays. Prevention will be the only final solution that will ultimately work. Everything else is a pipe dream and fantasy. Go to college, get a couple degrees, find a solution.

 

[J-Sanders]

Worldwide estimates of commercial, hybrid laying birds hatched is 7 Billion. Co-oresponding number of unneeded, unwanted hybrid cockerels? Obviously, 7 Billion.

Dispatching them in a quick and decent fashion? Yes. Finding "homes" for them? Impossible.

What is needed is technology to sex eggs before being placed in hatching trays. Prevention will be the only final solution that will ultimately work. Everything else is a pipe dream and fantasy. Go to college, get a couple degrees, find a solution.

I think she was being a bit sarcastic Fred and trying to make the unrealistic types see the realities of life.

If there was a market for these birds then I think it would already exist as people who are in it to make a living do not willingly throw away money. The feed conversion factor is poor for these cockerels and to try and make it otherwise is fantasy.

I read an old Almanac that Ford Co. produced back in 1957 and there was a blurb in it about dipping eggs in hormones to produce the sex of choice. Haven't had time to do further research but I would have to believe that if the idea was around back then that it would have found its way to the commercial chicken industry by now.

Jim

 

[Parrmom]

Worldwide estimates of commercial, hybrid laying birds hatched is 7 Billion. Co-oresponding number of unneeded, unwanted hybrid cockerels? Obviously, 7 Billion.

Dispatching them in a quick and decent fashion? Yes. Finding "homes" for them? Impossible.

What is needed is technology to sex eggs before being placed in hatching trays. Prevention will be the only final solution that will ultimately work. Everything else is a pipe dream and fantasy. Go to college, get a couple degrees, find a solution.

I agree with the dispatching. Right now in my area, a full grown rooster goes for a buck at the local sale barn and they have a 25% commision. You can't give away a hatchery rooster if your life depended on it. These birds are useless for just about everything. The rate of gain is so low it is heartbreaking and they are not good for breed improvement.


I thought they were crazy to sex cattle semen at first, but it has been an awesome thing for some parts of those industry. But, it is not cheap.

 

[cjwaldon]

hmmm . . . .

A quick Google search and I found this:
http://www.csiro.au/en/Organisation...-newsletter/2-sex-determination-chickens.aspx

The article is quoted below:

Researchers successfully influence sex ratios in chickens

Researchers from CSIRO Livestock Industries' Australian Animal Health Laboratory (AAHL) and the University of Melbourne's Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) – both based in Victoria – have solved the long-standing mystery of what determines sex development in chickens.

• 22 January 2010 | Updated 14 October 2011

The collaborative effort is a scientific breakthrough which could have significant benefits for animal welfare.
The MCRI researchers first discovered the DMRT1 gene in 1999 and proposed its sex-determining role in birds.
CSIRO, in partnership with MCRI, showed that manipulating chicken embryos to silence DMRT1 caused testis to become ovaries – bringing about male to female sex reversal.
According to CSIRO Research Group Leader Dr Tim Doran, the aim of this gene technology work was to determine if knockdown of DMRT1 in ovo (in the chicken egg), using the CSIRO-developed RNA interference (RNAi) technology, could in fact induce the selective development of a female gonad phenotype.
"This research has major applications for the poultry industry, in particular the egg industry which does not require male chickens – presenting a welfare challenge."
Dr Doran, CSIRO Research Group Leader
"This research has demonstrated that there is potential to generate only female chickens through knocking down or silencing the DMRT1 gene," he said.
The scientists are now attempting to hatch embryos in which the level of DMRT1 gene expression has been knocked down. If successful, the discovery could allow researchers to influence sex ratios in poultry.
"This research has major applications for the poultry industry, in particular the egg industry which does not require male chickens – presenting a welfare challenge," Dr Doran said.
"However, the general public will also need to be supportive if we are successful. While gene technology is a tool that offers potentially enormous benefits, it is still relatively new technology and it is important that its use is carefully regulated by government to protect human health and the environment."
The new discovery could also bring the scientific community one step closer to uncovering the genetic cause of sex development disorders in humans.
As 80 per cent of genes are common in birds and humans, the technology developed to analyse the role of the DMRT1 gene in chicken embryos can be used to explore the function of many different human disease genes.
The findings are published in the prestigious journal Nature, with the paper entitled The avian Z-linked gene DMRT1 is required for male sex determination in the chicken [external link].

 

[3 NH reds]

God gave us dominion over the earth with the charge of taking good care of it. There are ways to " dispose of the unwanted males" one Turkey book mentioned using carbon dioxide, that would be pain free stress free. I have been part of the problem in the past ordering sexed layers. I now raise my own and plan to continue this, roosters can be dinner rather than my wasting food. Rock Star Ted Nugent put it best on his show one day " If you buy packaged meat in a store you paid for some assassin to do the killing for you". That was in responce to a "hunting is cruel comment. Might be time to reward hatcheries who practice humane culling. When they prove they cull in a humane way I can see their business growing.

 

[Tammy N]

Exactly my point here!

I don't care if you raise puppies and kittens to be raised as food, good for you! In the US, there has been problems with people NOT wanting to deal with it and why we won't eat them.

If I had to, I would eat dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and snakes, llamas, etc. when I am really needing meat.

I never ate dogs Or Cats .

we do have something in common My great grand father invented the Norton Grape. Smiles .

 

[Tammy N]

God gave us dominion over the earth with the charge of taking good care of it. There are ways to " dispose of the unwanted males" one Turkey book mentioned using carbon dioxide, that would be pain free stress free. I have been part of the problem in the past ordering sexed layers. I now raise my own and plan to continue this, roosters can be dinner rather than my wasting food. Rock Star Ted Nugent put it best on his show one day " If you buy packaged meat in a store you paid for some assassin to do the killing for you". That was in responce to a "hunting is cruel comment. Might be time to reward hatcheries who practice humane culling. When they prove they cull in a humane way I can see their business growing.

there are places in this country people are starving and also places in this country that are BUG infested or snake infested . a few male Foul chicken duck turkey goose Might make a difference . ask them if they would like them .

 

[Tammy N]

I agree with the dispatching. Right now in my area, a full grown rooster goes for a buck at the local sale barn and they have a 25% commision. You can't give away a hatchery rooster if your life depended on it. These birds are useless for just about everything. The rate of gain is so low it is heartbreaking and they are not good for breed improvement.


I thought they were crazy to sex cattle semen at first, but it has been an awesome thing for some parts of those industry. But, it is not cheap.

Someone Take this Challenge PLEASE .

Go out to your Hen house grab 6 eggs round topped and 3 eggs with a pointed top.
you will get 6 hens and 3 roosters , Tops on hens have to be Rounded the males will look a little pointy I wish i had a egg so i could show you .
Take the challenge PLEASE This was taught to me when i was 12 yrs old 30 yrs ago and so far has never failed .

 

[Tammy N]

Or show me the eggs ill tell you witch are cockerals and what ones are hens .

 

[ChickenJerk]

Or show me the eggs ill tell you witch are cockerals and what ones are hens .

This was taught to me when i was 12 yrs old 30 yrs ago and so far has never failed .

So what are you doing hanging around here. With all that talent, being able to sex eggs and all, your skills are worth millions! I know you don't want to be greedy.

Oh - if you are going to be an expert on chickens you ought to spell cockerel correctly and know that young female chickens are not hens but rater "pullets".

If you have not failed in this practice in 30 years you are either incredibly lucky or just a good guesser on a few eggs.

Ah the Internet - the great misinformation highway.