Roosters are PIGS!

[fasbendera]

I now have a flock of 21 hens (of which 3 are bantams) and two bantam roosters. This past summer I had 5 RR roosters put into an order as packing peanuts and DS would not let me cull so we raised them. Well I knew I was going through a little more food than I had last winter but I had the same # of birds? I was going through 50# in less than a week. Roosters left two weeks ago and I am now going through #50 in a week & 1/2 to two weeks. I free feed so it isn't because I am holding back. Packing peanuts were not suppose to be included per ordering insturctions but next time they will be culled.

 

[Sasquatch]

My RIR roo (Hagrid) is easily 3x the size of any of the hens and thus eats more. Think of it as reducing 10-15 birds from your flock. Did you send them to freezer camp?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Last year I had about 30 rooster too many. So we had to send them to freezer camp. I didn't like it but they were really beating up on the hens. And I was going threw 2 bags of feed a WEEK!!! And after they were gone I only when threw 1 bag of feed a week. Roosters are HUGE PIGS!!!

 

[fasbendera]

That was the most roosters I have had in non-meat bird varieties. I was amazed after they had left how much food they ate. I did send them to freezer camp via a friend who picked them up. I almost kept one but I have two bantam roosters, and now that I see the difference in the eating I am glad. I had one standard rooster the first two years but he was mean and the hens were a mess so he ended up in the pot. We have no problem eating the meaties but my husband stopped in mid bite when he found out we were eating "Martha". We hadn't named them but I have a freezer full of meaties (forgot to calculate son being in college) so I gave them away since they were packing peanut anyway. It was a good way for me to see the meat to food ratio and I will keep on with the Cornish X.