HELP. Males for warmth!!!

[allardkelly]

Ok, I knew some "chickens for warmth" would be in the box, but now I have 14 extra chickens (outside the 6 I ordered). What does a person do with potentially 14 roosters!!!! Any advice is welcome. I was thinking of calling the AG stores and seeing if they would take them or can one raise them in a separate area for meat (not my original intention).

Kelly

 

[MayberrySaint]

I got 15 extra cockerels. I raised them with the pullets. Now they are about 6 weeks old and filling out good. When they get larger, I am going to try and sell them or find someone to slaughter them and maybe give them half of them for doing the dirty deed.

Andy

 

[aran]

oh man i hope that doesnt happen to me...i contacted the hatchery and BEGGED for no extra males but they said they had already included 5 in my order which was mailed today.

next q...how to tell the difference as they grow between my girls and the boy chicks.

 

[aran]

are all the extra chicks always males? or are they just random chicks? the hatchery made it seem as if all my extras were males in their emails.

 

[Newchickenmom&kids]

Depends on the breed but....

Whatch their tailfeather growth and comb/wattle growth/color.

Pullets tend to feather out fast before the cockerals and the cockerals tend to develop combs/wattles faster and they are more orange or red than their same age pullets.

But then again...they can fool ya!!

 

[allardkelly]

The Lady at the hatchery said they are all male and they try to make sure they look different than the ordered chickens (mine look completely different and easy to identify).