How to decide which roosters to cull/rehome?

[GeneGoddess]

I’m sure this is a dilemma that most flock owners face at one time or another: how to choose which young roosters from a straight run batch should be rehomed or “refrigerated”? I have a flock of a dozen Ameraucanas, equal numbers of black, blue, and splash. I’ve got roughly 4-5 females and 7-8 males. I’m planning on keeping 1-2 roosters at most and am trying to decide who stays and who goes. Any suggestions? Also, is there a good age for butchering Ameraucanas (large enough for decent meat, young enough to be tender)?

 

[chickyrookie]

Oh dear. I have a very similar situation. Good luck! The good news I have a friend who just learned how to butcher chickens; bad news...I'm a sap and can't hand over my roos. I make the rookie move and named them already. Ahhhh!!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I would pick the cockerel who respects me and other people, is a good protector and provider for his flock, isn't too rough with girls and is the prettiest one with these traits. Good luck, may have to watch for a while to decide.

 

[Folly's place]

x2! With only a few females, only one male will be best. Do you have more hens or pullets? Then two boys might be okay.
Temperament is #1; no human aggression, and that may take a while to decide. No structural faults; I'm not talking about show points, exactly, but no wry tails, or knock knees, or shallow bodies. I favor larger size over puny, myself.
No injured pullets from overly aggressive mating behavior. Cockerels tend to enthusiasm, and little skill, but there's a difference!
Then, lastly, color genetics, because you are doing blue. Look up the inheritance of blue and decide if you want to keep a splash, or whatever. By the time you sift through all the other factors, you may only have one left, but give it some thought too.
I try to keep a few, or at least two, cockerels as long as possible, to see how they develop. And sometimes I goof and choose the wrong one(s) and get to start again the following year, especially if bad behavior develops later.
Mary

 

[GeneGoddess]

I have some known females of another breed or two, enough for two males to share. I’m just trying to figure out what to do with my extras and which ones to pick...

 

[aart]

Also, is there a good age for butchering Ameraucanas (large enough for decent meat, young enough to be tender)?

IMO anything over 16 weeks is not going to be tender enough for anything but pressure cooked soup/stock.....or long and low cooking.

I slaughter cockerels at 13-16 weeks, before they start causing chaos and while still tender enough to grill for that crispy skinned deliciousness. Not much meat but the grilled bones make for some excellent stock. Anything older than that I pressure cook until meat is done and is saved aside then a couple more hours to get that bone broth.

Resting the cleaned carcass in fridge for 48-72 hours for rigor to pass is essential for chewable meat from any bird(except maybe CX?). Tho no homegrown bird I've eaten, layer or meat breed, is as soft as a grocery bird, they are more 'toothsome'.