I can't decide which chickens to get rid of.

[Mary Coleman]

Okay I currently have have 34 chickens. I have 16 roosters to 18 hens. Only 3 of the roosters are mature, an the others are still young, do they aren't a problem....YET!!! I want to get rid of at least 10-15 chickens, but I dont know how to get rid of them. I couldn't kill them ( Its just me ) I dropped off a couple roosters on the side of the road last year and felt horrible. So I don't want to do that again. Craigslist never really works for me because I live in a small town in north eastern Oregon so there aren't many people here. If I were to sell them to somebody with a good home I'd feel alot better, but I don't know how to find somebody who would take them. Any ideas??? Also, I don't know how to choose which ones I want to sell. I kinda get a emotionally attached :/ . I just feel like I have too many. How do you guys thin out your flock???

 

[appps]

Yeah I'd feel horrible leaving them to starve to death on the side of the road too.

Put a sign out in your yard saying free roosters and hopefully someone may come by who will take them off your hands. That's what some people here do all the time when they have excess roosters.

Good luck.

 

[bobbi-j]

I agree with appps - put a sign up, advertise at your local feed store for FREE roosters or sell them for a couple of dollars a piece (unless they're a special breed or show quality you'll have a hard time selling them for much), then don't ask what the intentions are when people come pick them up. Another option is to see if there is a meat processing place near you that does birds. Or pay someone else to process them for you. Homegrown chicken is delicious! I thin my flock by butchering the extras. I have just set my mind to the fact that it has to be done. Admittedly, I don't kill them myself. My husband does that, although I hold the feet while he chops the head off, so I do help. Since you have a hard time getting rid of your chickens, you might want to rethink how you add to you flock. If you're hatching, you need to have a plan in place beforehand how you're going to get rid of your extra roosters. If you can't do it humanely, I would suggest buying sexed chicks only. Yes, there is a slight chance of still getting a rooster, but not as much as there is with hatching yourself.

 

[roostersandhens]

I can't give my roosters up either. I have 7 and would never give them away. When giving away roosters just try to avoid cock fighters and people who raise meat birds. I might be opening a chicken rescue, I live in Central Coast CA and IF I make a chicken rescue I may be able to take a few roos. This is all an if though. and an if we can get them down here from Oregon. If I make a rescue I will be finding each and every chicken the best home I can.
Good Luck!

 

[donrae]

I'm with bobbi-j. Advertise them for free or have someone process them for you--your area should have lots of hunters that are capable of processing birds. Or, if you can't/won't do that, and really need to thin, simply have someone come over and dispatch them and bury the bodies. Another idea is to advertise them for dog food--lots of folks want to feed raw diets to their dogs.

Fact is, there aren't shiny rainbow forever homes for roosters. Their job is to feed someone/thing. I also agree with bobbi-j, you need to quit adding roosters to your flock if you're having this much problem culling them.

 

[loversday002]

i think the sign would be a good idea if you want them to stay local i have the same problem sometimes too :/

 

[keesmom]

You have far too many roosters and most (or all) need to go. For your hens' sake. Find a processor or a local individual who will butcher them for you. Advertise in the local paper, craigslist or a sign in your yard for free roosters. Give them to needy families nearby. Donrae is right - you just aren't going find a sunny, loving home for every rooster. Fact is most will become food. However they have had a life far better than the commercially grown meat birds in the US.

 

[roostersandhens]

i think the sign would be a good idea if you want them to stay local i have the same problem sometimes too :/

X2

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

You need to get rid of all of the roosters and only get pullets from now one. Have your current birds processed, give them away, have someone kill them for you, etc--but get rid of them and don't hatch any more chicks or buy any straight run birds without a plan as to what you're going to do with the roosters.

Leaving a rooster on the side of the road--I can't even imagine how you thought that was an acceptable thing to do. It was cruel to the bird, and not very nice to the neighbors where you dropped off the bird, either. You didn't make a problem go away, you either left the roosters to suffer or you made it someone else's problem. Slitting their throats would have been more humane.

You say CL doesn't work--it might be all in how you word the ad. I'd try something like this: Free Roosters for Meat. People aren't going to come get your unwanted animals and give them a happy home, but they will come get free meat.

 

[marktoo]

You need to get rid of all of the roosters and only get pullets from now one. Have your current birds processed, give them away, have someone kill them for you, etc--but get rid of them and don't hatch any more chicks or buy any straight run birds without a plan as to what you're going to do with the roosters.

Leaving a rooster on the side of the road--I can't even imagine how you thought that was an acceptable thing to do. It was cruel to the bird, and not very nice to the neighbors where you dropped off the bird, either. You didn't make a problem go away, you either left the roosters to suffer or you made it someone else's problem. Slitting their throats would have been more humane.

You say CL doesn't work--it might be all in how you word the ad. I'd try something like this: Free Roosters for Meat. People aren't going to come get your unwanted animals and give them a happy home, but they will come get free meat.

X2. Abandoning animals, any animal, is unacceptable! Would have been far kinder to suck it up & process them.