Help i'm really sad

[oldjoeclark]

I rescued 10 baby chicks from someone over the weekend. I've been caring for them since. I was so proud of myself. They got the chickens as fillers in a box because they only ordered 2 ducks from ideal poultry. I told my parents about it and they were excited to get some new laying hens. My dad started repairing the old chicken run. I was also excited just to have some chickens around on the farm again like old times. I've been doing some research and the chicks appear to be males for warmth. I'm now really deeply saddened by this. What are we going to do with 10 roosters ???. I now have the feeling that I should of never rescued them and why am i taking care of them now. There's probably no hope any of them are hens? I'm so torn.. Roosters are so mean. It wouldn't be bad if i had 5 hens and 5 roosters but 10 of them? HMM I don't know what to do.. provide support.

Thanks,
Clark

 

[lavacaw]

Roosters make awesome chicken and dumplings...start them on broiler feed and fatten them up. If you get a good one to keep, get him some hens later.

 

[oldjoeclark]

we don't kill our chickens we get to attached to them.. We can't just kill them

 

[TipsyDog]

Clark and

from PA!

Don't be sad about your roos! Raise them up for 5 or 6 months and then process them. You can find out alot of info in the Meat Birds section here. There are even step by step instructions! Also, check youtube on how to process chickens. I know that's not the advice you were hoping to hear but I hope you do it. It's really not that hard and think of the learning curve on raising your own food! It's a very noble skill.

Give them a really good chicken life while they are with you - that's so much more than any grocery store chicken will ever have

Good luck to you!

ETA: Also - you will probably never find homes for 10 roos! Someone else will probably process them so you may as well enjoy them yourself and add to your own family's well being.

 

[oldjoeclark]

no help blah its going to take awhile to get over this... i'm not changing there bedding tommorwo like i was going to.

 

[TipsyDog]

Sorry Clark

Hope you can make peace with your chicks. Be strong and give them a good life - they still deserve that.

 

[oldjoeclark]

No chance that at least 1 out of 10 will be a hen?? I'm sure most of them are roosters.. when i put my hand in they all try to attack it they kind of rare up and peck it.

 

[TipsyDog]

Wait until they are a few weeks old and then post pictures on BYC. We will do our best to identify the breeds and male or female. That's the best I can do for you now.

Good luck! Hopefully I'll see your pictures when you post

 

[lizardz]

Sorry you're feeling so down. There's always a possiblity that there's a pullet in there somewhere. I wouldn't take their behavior at this point in time to really mean anything - they may just be excited to see you (or the food). And roos aren't always mean. I had a hen that was way meaner than any of the roos I've had - would chase you, peck you, sneak up on you to get you. The bobcat carried her away - can't say I was sad to see her gone. If you don't feel you can raise them to eat, maybe you would be willing to give or sell them to others who might want them. Regardless of what you plan to do in the long run, please be kind to them - they are living creatures, after all. Good luck. I hope you get at least one pullet out of the group.

 

[Pathfinders]

Quote:
I am sorry you are disappointed by the chance that your "rescued" chicks may all be males. But you have to take care of them properly. Please do change their bedding regularly and feed and water them, no matter what they turn out to be. That is the responsibility you committed to when you took them.

Should you decide not to process them, you may wish to consider selling them to someone else. Craig's List works well for that sort of thing, or find a sale barn.