Getting rid of roosters

[Bantam bell Wood]

I have tried to farm out my bantam cockerels, with no luck. I can’t keep them bc I don’t have enough acreage to meet town’s enforcement code.

I understand that many people here don’t agree with the idea of eating/culling/dispatching their birds, so please understand I’m sensitive to that. Still, no matter what, I need a solution because I have 3 cockerels and 4 pullets- an unhealthy ratio. Do I bring them to a farm vet to have them put down?

What advice can people offer me? I’m not all that interested in culling them myself, I’ve seen the process, and not confident I’m up to it.

Big picture, they are super cute! The small Barred Rock cockerel is the girls favorite. The EE is hilarious as far as tough guys go- running out shoulders up and breast high- all 11 inches of him! The larger Barred Rock is the boss and laid back except when the EE gets all up in his grill. They’ll be 12 weeks any day now, so I know time is short.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I understand that many people here don’t agree with the idea of eating/culling/dispatching their birds,

Not entirely true. Alot of us here also process birds to feed ourselves, & family.

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Not entirely true. Alot of us here also process birds to feed ourselves, & family.

Thank you for writing. I get that. It seemed to me that folks who due process birds aren’t going to be startled by the idea of culling and I don’t want to offend others. I am grateful to folks who process chicken. I hope writing that didn’t annoy.

 

[Mrs. K]

They are in the darling stage. Sometime in the next 6 weeks, they may go to the nightmare stage. They are easier to deal with then.

Contact other chicken people near you. I assume a vet could put them down, but would question the expense. Post where you buy feed, sometimes other people need a rooster. Contact the county extension office for poultry clubs or 4-h clubs.

Mrs K

 

[StinkyAcres]

Ask around to farmers to see if they'll cull them for you. I didn't get any takers of my cockerel so we ended up butchering him ourselves. It was our first time and we used pipe cutters and it was quick.

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

They are in the darling stage. Sometime in the next 6 weeks, they may go to the nightmare stage. They are easier to deal with then.

Contact other chicken people near you. I assume a vet could put them down, but would question the expense. Post where you buy feed, sometimes other people need a rooster. Contact the county extension office for poultry clubs or 4-h clubs.

Mrs K

Thank you. I have been posting around the chicken community here, the Blue Seal shop, and will continue to do so, Ill check into the 4-H clubs. I appreciate that advice!

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Ask around to farmers to see if they'll cull them for you. I didn't get any takers of my cockerel so we ended up butchering him ourselves. It was our first time and we used pipe cutters and it was quick.

My guys are tiny. I think it would be very quick. Thank you.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Have you tried Craigslist?

 

[Bantam bell Wood]

Have you tried Craigslist?

I haven’t tried Craigslist, good idea. Thanks for that too!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Also try Facebook Marketplace. I usually use local classifieds to get rid of cockerels with great success. If I want them gone really fast I advertise them for free.