so, what does everyone do with their "males for warmth" chicks?

[newchik]

We live relatively near Amish homesteads.

I took my rooster and drove to the first one that I found that says "eggs for sale".

I offered the rooster to the lady, told her she could raise him for meat or to keep (I don't butcher mine, haven't learned how and don't really want to). She gave me a dozen eggs in trade (my chickens weren't laying much at the time).

I thought it was a good trade, and she was VERY pleased to have my 4MO rooster that was very big (Australorp). To her, it was a free meal.

 

[pattycake]

I ordered double the number of chicks I wanted and gave away the extras on craigslist, including the ones I suspected might be roosters, all as "straight run." I ended up keeping one rooster, who is a cool guy.

I was afraid if I kept them longer, there would be definite roosters and no one would take them, so I gave them away when they were just a week old.

Next time I ordered, I got them from the feed store so I wouldn't get extras.

I'd have trouble eating my own chickens.