Official BYC Poll: What do you do with your roosters?

[cmom]

I've heard of these TSC swaps, but how do you know if your local store hosts one? It's not all of them right? I wish ours did it, because I sure would like to participate.

It's been well over 10 years ago we had the swaps at our farm. Hubby was worried about what we could do if someone was to get hurt and no one wants to insure a private property farm swap. I went to our local TSC and ask if we could have it in a section of their parking lot that was used little and they said ok we could try it and see how it would go. We planned it for a few months and advertised. We had a wonderful turnout and it has been going ever since. We have some people who come from a couple hours away.

 

[Entreparadis]

We all know the importance of having a "rooster plan" when raising chicks. My first option is to sell mine. If I cannot sell I give them away and if I'm really stuck I have the option for them to go live on my friends farm.

I do eat chicken but personally I would find it difficult to butcher a chick I've raised. Fortunately I've never had to do it. I'm really interested to know what you all do with your boys...


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I know this isn't reasonable for everyone, but I am planning ahead on what breed of chickens to get with hardiness and free ranging ability as high priority. I believe with those factors, if I ever wanted to let a couple of hens go broody, I would be able to keep extra males in a separate shelter with permenant free ranging available to help control pests. Everyone would be fed through the winter though, using homegrown veg, fodder, and proteins to keep costs low. I am also considering breeding rare breed or endangered and rare poultry and selling chicks in unrelated pairs.

 

[Livingthehenlife]

Good point! This year I'll probably be able to sell my extras since i can sex faverolles while they're still cute and passable as pets. Way cheaper to sell a chick than to grow them out, i just can't eat them they're too goofy.

The Faverolles are too hard to put in the kill cone. They are a farm favorite, coop clowns!

 

[cmom]

I know this isn't reasonable for everyone, but I am planning ahead on what breed of chickens to get with hardiness and free ranging ability as high priority. I believe with those factors, if I ever wanted to let a couple of hens go broody, I would be able to keep extra males in a separate shelter with permenant free ranging available to help control pests. Everyone would be fed through the winter though, using homegrown veg, fodder, and proteins to keep costs low. I am also considering breeding rare breed or endangered and rare poultry and selling chicks in unrelated pairs.

Free ranging is good but you will loose some birds to predators, it's inevitable. I do raise pure breeds. I raise them for exhibition so I choose my breeders. I have some coops and pens as grow-out. I have large covered pens. I have lost my share of birds in the past to predators. My land is mostly open pasture. There are some wooded areas around us. The birds prefer to stay in their pens where they have nice shade. I have opened the gates to let them out and they may come out but not for long and before you know it they are all back in their pens in their nice shade. I tried growing things for them but eventually decided to buy good feed and use the other as supplemental. I have had no complaints. One of my breeder friends was a test farm for a specific feed for show. I have used it now for several years and my birds have placed well. I know showing birds isn't for everyone. I hatch out all of my own chicks and grow them out. Males are sold first according to their development. The females I don't use for breeding go into general population coops and pens. I keep the best as future breeders. I don't sell chicks now but I have sold some in the past. I have and do sell fertile eggs from my chosen breeds. I have specific lines that I keep pure. Good luck on your plans and have fun...

 

[dbtcowgirl]

I keep ones that suit my breeding program, I take some to poultry swaps and such, I sell a few, but I am really proud to process the extras knowing they had a great life and we're humanely raised and dispatched. I feel it's a great way to provide good for my family and bring my chicken raising full circle. There is always an element of sadness, but never the same sadness as thinking about how commercial chickens are raised.

 

[Skyleen13]

I’ve got one big boy rooster & 10 hens. My son named him Heyhey. he’s very good with his gals & doesn’t give us any trouble at all. He doesn’t solicit attention from us but he respects us at the top dog so we’re good. I got lucky & only had hens this year from my chicks but if I do get a rooster then I raise them till their old enough to start to show their personalities. If they’re going to be mean & nasty then they go in the pot. If friendly then I might keep 1 more for our flock. If just like their dad then I would find a new home for them. Preferably one that won’t kill them right off the bat. I live on a lot of land in the country so I can have a large flock. It’s been awesome being a chicken lady!

 

[Rachmaginger]

I chose other because we built a custom “cock box” for our rooster. It is only the early morning crowing that was an issue, the fully insulated box solved this. I would let him out at about 8am. Do wish there was a now crow rooster breed

 

[feather13]

I love that... “cock box”!!! Please say more about it and include photos, if you don’t mind. Was it withIn the coop? Did he go in there on his own at night to roost? Were the hens with him? This might be a way for us to keep a rooster, too.

 

[cmom]

I hatch out a few hundred chicks every year and about half are males. It costs quite a lot to grow out birds feeding them so I sell them to recoup some of the costs.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

I hatch out a few hundred chicks every year and about half are males. It costs quite a lot to grow out birds feeding them so I sell them to recoup some of the costs.

But that is pure bred, right? How much do you normally sell them for?