Processing Day Support Group ~ HELP us through the Emotions PLEASE!

[Amina]

Hi Bubbles! Personally, I would process extra roosters, but that's just me and it's based on my goals with my chickens. I like to have a productive egg flock with minimal drama, and extra roosters really don't help with that goal.

What you should do depends on a lot of things, first and foremost whether you consider these roosters pets or livestock. Also, you say you have four roosters... if your signature line is still correct, then you've got 15 hens and 10 pullets. The recommended ratio of hens to roosters is 10 to 1, so two roosters should work well with your flock, maybe three once all your pullets reach maturity. With four, you have increased risk of roosters fighting and hens being harassed and stressed from all the breeding.

Another thing is, if you had these two roosters processed and bought another rooster to replace them, yes that would be three roosters so from that perspective it might be okay. But adult roosters do not accept new adult roosters. There would be a lot of fighting and bloodshed. Do you have a plan for how to handle that? Either you'd have to keep the old and new roosters separate, or you'd have to raise a young cockerel as part of your flock so that he would be less apt to challenge your existing roosters.

Then if you're planning to hatch chicks, 50% of those are going to be male. Do you have a plan for them, if eating them is going to upset you too much? Roosters are very tough to rehome, even without any special health or behavior problems.

 

[BantyChooks]

It sounds like you understand the options and thankfully are responsible enough to not risk someone else's flock. It is an unfortunate fact in chicken keeping that there are more roosters than needed.
If they aren't right for your breeding program and their health prevents you from selling them then humanely dispatching them is probably the best option.
We raise a lot of chicks with broodies each year, our Stock is generally friendly and usually very nice examples of the breeds we keep, but only a rare cockerel stays, and since it is rare to find anyone who wants a rooster we regularly butcher them at about 18 -20 weeks.
It is an unpleasant fact of life when raising poultry.

Thank you for your kind words. I was afraid people would just tell me to put my chin up and do it myself.
Yes, it is very unpleasant for me but I guess I gotta do it.
I'll be thinking... I don't know. I'm so torn. These roos are nice but not even SOP colours.
These are the two.




And these are the two I'm absolutely keeping no matter what.

 

[BantyChooks]

Hi Bubbles! Personally, I would process extra roosters, but that's just me and it's based on my goals with my chickens. I like to have a productive egg flock with minimal drama, and extra roosters really don't help with that goal.

What you should do depends on a lot of things, first and foremost whether you consider these roosters pets or livestock. Also, you say you have four roosters... if your signature line is still correct, then you've got 15 hens and 10 pullets. The recommended ratio of hens to roosters is 10 to 1, so two roosters should work well with your flock, maybe three once all your pullets reach maturity. With four, you have increased risk of roosters fighting and hens being harassed and stressed from all the breeding.

Another thing is, if you had these two roosters processed and bought another rooster to replace them, yes that would be three roosters so from that perspective it might be okay. But adult roosters do not accept new adult roosters. There would be a lot of fighting and bloodshed. Do you have a plan for how to handle that? Either you'd have to keep the old and new roosters separate, or you'd have to raise a young cockerel as part of your flock so that he would be less apt to challenge your existing roosters.

Then if you're planning to hatch chicks, 50% of those are going to be male. Do you have a plan for them, if eating them is going to upset you too much? Roosters are very tough to rehome, even without any special health or behavior problems.

Thank you so much! Yes, but the other two I have are 6 month old. He doesn't act like a rooster yet and will happily accept any new flock member. The other is a silkie and I only recently discovered he's a rooster because of his very hen-like behaviour. The ones I would be getting would be the same age or younger or a banty.
They don't really... um... act rooster-ish if you know what I mean.
My neighbour got straight run and that many were roosters and she said I can have as many as I want and she'll process the rest.
As for the pets\ livestock thing.... all mine are pets, but these particular roosters are rather aloof and I only got them last winter because they were abandoned and it was either pick them up or have them freeze to death slowly.
I have integrated several roos and not all worked out which is why I had to re-home my previous two which I hatched. I also would only hatch 2--4 chicks a year at most.
Thanks so much for helping!

A side note.... my pullets are 5-6 months old now.

 

[Amina]

I have heard that silkies are very late bloomers. Maybe someone can chip in and say if sultans are too. But if so, your boys may not have reached their adult behaviors yet.

 

[katbriar]

Sally Sunshine- Haven't been on this thread for a while but I want to jump in and add to Fisherlady's comments. I've purposely gone with a slower growing Cornish cross strain from Privett. The cockerels finished out in 12 weeks at 4 to 4.5 pounds (processed, not live) pullets in 14 at 3.5 pounds. I think the slower rate of growth means less leg, heart, and other problems even more important because I'm at a high altitude. They also remained very active till their last day.

I did keep a few pullets a couple weeks longer than mentioned above and they got heavier, but they were wasting feed by putting on fat not muscle.

 

[sideWing]

OH geezzzzz so I get out my receipt freaking because of the weigh in and here I wrote down the wrong est10 week processing date on the calendar!

they were only 8 weeks old yesterday! They have 2 more weeks to grow yet!



pullets 4 lbs 9oz
cockerels 5 lbs 5 oz



I think we are on track right?

I'm glad they are a bit younger than you thought. Still a bit behind though I think.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

miss conversations with Bee! what happened to @Beekissed

yes @Beekissed, I will need your input here shortly so please post your video here too! and I need your support in the upcoming weeks as you have read!

you are all my go to gals and guys all of you and if you can be there when the time comes for this many at a time I will truly appreciate it, this is the first for this many and besides the 26 meaties I also have roosters and hens that are going so its going to be a big deal for us

It sounds like you understand the options and thankfully are responsible enough to not risk someone else's flock. It is an unfortunate fact in chicken keeping that there are more roosters than needed.
If they aren't right for your breeding program and their health prevents you from selling them then humanely dispatching them is probably the best option.
We raise a lot of chicks with broodies each year, our Stock is generally friendly and usually very nice examples of the breeds we keep, but only a rare cockrel stays, and since it is rare to find anyone who wants a rooster we regularly butcher them at about 18 -20 weeks.
It is an unpleasant fact of life when raising poultry.

well stated as usual! I agree as well

 

[BantyChooks]

I have heard that silkies are very late bloomers. Maybe someone can chip in and say if sultans are too. But if so, your boys may not have reached their adult behaviors yet.

I hope not.... My neighbor has the most gentle silkie rooster in the world. If he didn't have blaringly obvious streamers, a manly cluck, and not lay, I'd think he was a hen. (He's 4-6 years old)

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Sally Sunshine- Haven't been on this thread for a while but I want to jump in and add to Fisherlady's comments. I've purposely gone with a slower growing Cornish cross strain from Privett. The cockerels finished out in 12 weeks at 4 to 4.5 pounds (processed, not live) pullets in 14 at 3.5 pounds. I think the slower rate of growth means less leg, heart, and other problems even more important because I'm at a high altitude. They also remained very active till their last day.

I did keep a few pullets a couple weeks longer than mentioned above and they got heavier, but they were wasting feed by putting on fat not muscle.

katbriar!!!!

thank you! I will keep this in mind! I will raise protein feed today for the next two weeks in hopes to push them and I have read Fishers ratings on where she gets her meaties and its just a state over and everyone is saying they have very good genes showing great growth rates. I got mine from a special through IDEAL mistake I assume, mostly female, hubs forgot to give me a male headcount last night, but I know their are like 9-10 out of 26

and I can order all males from the place she suggested as well! I hope you have been well!

I'm glad they are a bit younger than you thought. Still a bit behind though I think.

I just sorta winged this bunch, not much research other than what we discussed at the beginning of this thread! and half I forgot so long ago! I didnt want to make them difficult for hubs to deal with, because I wanted to do them twice a year. lol
So now I know they are not near as bad as everyone had made it out to be, with the feed change I need to make, BUT I DIDNT PROCESS YET! ha ha ha

bare with us! thanks!

 

[fisherlady]

Sally, if you change sources on your next batch follow the same feed and care routine you did for this batch through the first 6 weeks and adjust as necessary after you get a good reading on their growth rate.
Each new batch of birds is a new learning experience.