Just curious - What do you do with your male chicks?

[remuda1]

Along these lines and not to hijack this thread but I have more pullets and cockerels than I want..... I am a practical person so I want to eat the extras. That being said, I am also a newbie and have been wondering if there is any website or perhaps even somewhere here on BYC that explains in detail how to process a chicken? My husband and I already have worked out how we want to do the "deed" but after that, what is the best way to proceed.... From plucking or skinning, to the freezer. Maybe even a video somewhere?

 

[Nicole01]

I would try to rehome them first before eating. Just because of my kids and the chicks are our pets. If the kids were grown, I'd eat them.

 

[Nicole01]

My daughter is sitting with me and reading what I type and is mortified about eating the chicks.

 

[Animalian]

I have an excellent breeder who will let me swap back roosters for a pullet of the same breed, even if I buy a day old chick!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Quote:
Here you go!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=109583

 

[JodyJo]

Quote:
YouTube has a few good videos...

 

[Smittenroade]

I eat them. Theyre quite crunchy and make my evil points go up. (Fable inside joke)

 

[JodyJo]

Toast'n Jelly :

Quote:
Here you go!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=109583

Excellent information!​

 

[Amyh]

I have never eaten them, but always given them away. I really wish I had the skill set and nerve to eat them. I think it's the natural process of raising chickens.

 

[speckledhen]

I have been fairly fortunate in being able to rehome my extras. Only once or twice did I get stuck with a bunch of aging cockerels that I knew went to a man who processed them, but at that point, I had to either fatten them up myself or let someone else do what they wanted with them. I try not to have too many mixed breed males to rehome-purebreds are easier, generally.

Currently, I have a handsome Delaware x EE cockerel who will look like a Delaware with a pea comb and probably carries the blue egg gene who will make someone a unique EE male for their girls so, hopefully, when his broody mama lets him go, he'll have a nice home with someone. Most of the time, I prefer to hatch a pure breed, but at the time, had none to give the broody so snatched one of my EE hen's eggs for her. Anyway, most of my boys have been successfully rehomed to someone who gave them their own girls to protect.