How to cull a rooster when you don't want too?

[Chiker]

Maybe try relisting them or put them on another site such as preloved and maybe give them away free? hope this helps

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Not that i doubt your ability, but how can you tell this early. I'm new to this still and have been told and read that you can't tell until about a year of age. Or DNA test. I'd like to hear your opinion because i want more silkies in my flock, so that way i know what to look for.

Yes it is often hard to tell early on with Silkies without a DNA test. Usually by a few months old your pretty sure but sometimes it takes till they lay an egg or crow, 6months to a year. Some males can be slower developing that may look female too, confusing I know.
.. I can't tell if all 7 in this hatch are males or females but a few are bigger in size, comb is larger and feet larger so I'm guessing male for those ones. The comb on my white one was very large from even a few weeks old and always bigger overall in size including feet. Also his personality was far more outgoing and he was always picking fights... Honestly I'm not 100% sure (only 99% sure ) He is a he, but I didn't want to breed with him anyway because of the comb, I'd rather breed as pure as possible.

There are lots of people on byc that are great at telling Silkie gender so I post pics of mine I'm unsure about and everyone thinks boy for my white Silkie too.

I'm sure there's a great article on here about sexing Silkies too if you want to look that one up.

 

[JudithM]

How do you bring yourself to cull a rooster because you have too many?

I have let my Silkies breed and produce cute little fluffy things but I know I will have too many roosters, so after trying to sell them with no response, how do you bring yourself to cull a rooster that you keep just because you can't bring yourself to do the cull?
I would never treat my chickens bad and always feed and care for every one of them, rooster or not, but I don't want to keep roosters in a seperate bachelor coop. I admit I already have a cockerel separate in another coop because he looks good so I have kept him and given him some pullets for company but I have a young 9 week old that I know I will not want to breed with and he isn't a unique colour so I have been trying to sell him. Do I give him a few more weeks up for sale or do I cull? And if cull, how do I bring myself to cull it?
I have only killed one chicken in my life when she was very sick and I tried everything to help her, she was near dead so I ended her suffering poor girl, I was so upset about doing it but knew I had to do it to end her pain. So how on earth would I kill a perfectly healthy chicken!? And just because I don't want it? I feel so bad! How can I kill him if he doesn't sell? How do I bring myself to do it!? Is it better to do it young or just allow him to grow up a little more and live out his little life?

We just turn ours loose and let them free-range. I have two that I recently took out of my younger pen and they follow me around like little ducks following mama. I drop them a little food as I dip out of the feed barrels to feed the pens. They will eat out of my hand but they will not let me touch or pet them. They even peck at my shoes if I don't pay them any attention. They seem perfectly happy and hang around close all the time. We live in the country so it is not a problem.. if you live out .. may be an idea for you .

 

[MikkiMik]

Why not give him away? He will go faster.

 

[PrimroseMom1]

How do you bring yourself to cull a rooster because you have too many?

I have let my Silkies breed and produce cute little fluffy things but I know I will have too many roosters, so after trying to sell them with no response, how do you bring yourself to cull a rooster that you keep just because you can't bring yourself to do the cull?
I would never treat my chickens bad and always feed and care for every one of them, rooster or not, but I don't want to keep roosters in a seperate bachelor coop. I admit I already have a cockerel separate in another coop because he looks good so I have kept him and given him some pullets for company but I have a young 9 week old that I know I will not want to breed with and he isn't a unique colour so I have been trying to sell him. Do I give him a few more weeks up for sale or do I cull? And if cull, how do I bring myself to cull it?
I have only killed one chicken in my life when she was very sick and I tried everything to help her, she was near dead so I ended her suffering poor girl, I was so upset about doing it but knew I had to do it to end her pain. So how on earth would I kill a perfectly healthy chicken!? And just because I don't want it? I feel so bad! How can I kill him if he doesn't sell? How do I bring myself to do it!? Is it better to do it young or just allow him to grow up a little more and live out his little life?

If you can’t sell, try giving him away to a good home. If worse comes to worse you can euthanize by putting him in a box with a hose that goes from a mixture that puts him to sleep then dead. I can’t remember the mixture but it was all household stuff. It was considered humane and seems to be. I saw it on YouTube and plan to use it next time I have to cull or evens sick chicken that won’t improve.

 

[Kazzandra]

I know it's all been said at this point, but I have 6 roosters and 12 hens in one mixed flock and they get along fine and have been for three+ years now. And aye, yes, 3 are silkies, and 2 are half silkie.

I will say there can be some strain for the females but no quality of life is decreased. However, I would not bring another male into the circumstance for everyone's sake. This was the result of not one, but two 80 percent male hatches.

I agree that the more moral thing is to prepare what you're going to do with excess males beforehand, and pray for extra girls so you can sell pairs. But if not-- you're still going to have to morally figure out a life for them, preferably. I always feel culling is more of a giving up than it has to be. As others have pointed out, someone, somewhere, will take them from you most of the time, and I feel culling is always a last resort. Better to be a meal, even, than to be culled young.

 

[Rosdez31]

Build a bachelor pen and let them live or give them away.

This is a great solution, boys get along great when there are no girls. Then put up adds for free roosters and eventually someone will come looking. It took me months to get rid of my roosters but they went to a good home so worth it.

 

[Rosdez31]

How do you bring yourself to cull a rooster because you have too many?

I have let my Silkies breed and produce cute little fluffy things but I know I will have too many roosters, so after trying to sell them with no response, how do you bring yourself to cull a rooster that you keep just because you can't bring yourself to do the cull?
I would never treat my chickens bad and always feed and care for every one of them, rooster or not, but I don't want to keep roosters in a seperate bachelor coop. I admit I already have a cockerel separate in another coop because he looks good so I have kept him and given him some pullets for company but I have a young 9 week old that I know I will not want to breed with and he isn't a unique colour so I have been trying to sell him. Do I give him a few more weeks up for sale or do I cull? And if cull, how do I bring myself to cull it?
I have only killed one chicken in my life when she was very sick and I tried everything to help her, she was near dead so I ended her suffering poor girl, I was so upset about doing it but knew I had to do it to end her pain. So how on earth would I kill a perfectly healthy chicken!? And just because I don't want it? I feel so bad! How can I kill him if he doesn't sell? How do I bring myself to do it!? Is it better to do it young or just allow him to grow up a little more and live out his little life?

If your options are killing or selling maybe comprimise and give him away for free. Dont forget contact your local 4h club, ask to talk to the poultry leader, a silkie rooster is more likely tobe welcome there. Good luck, you have options think outside the coop.

 

[manta8ray]

Hi! Your far away from me but would you be willing to ship? I’ve been looking for a Silkie rooster forever

Oh man, I wish you were closer! We’re in the Pacific Northwest. We have an accidental Silkie rooster (unsexed chick) that I don’t want to kill or get rid of for fear of someone else killing him. His name is Georgie and he’s a sweet little bear but we really aren’t allowed to have roosters so I’m just waiting for a neighbor to report us... he’ll be a year old in March.

 

[RoosterML]

This is the problem with people getting chickens. I say BEFORE you get birds you need to be able to put it down if needed for various reasons. It’s all fun and games until a chicken needs to get put down.
Then you have the people that can’t cull the bird and only want it to go to a “good home” again this is not a plan.
I applaud you for asking how to bring yourself to put the bird down. That to me is responsible ownership. You given It a good life now it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. It’s never easy but look at it this way. This meat was not locked in a cage it’s whole life.