Suspected cockerels in hatch

[OfWolvesAndHen]

I'm very sad to make this post, as I've grown incredibly attached to my little ameraucana chicks. However after reading through some threads on this forum, I believe it is necessary.

I suspect at least 2 of my 3 chicks are cockerels---this is based on my observations during vent sexing (though I realize there can be inaccuracies). They're only 3 days old so that's the best I can do.

I was gifted some hatching eggs by a family member and the goal from the beginning was to raise the chicks and sell/rehome, as I do not have an established coop. It was more for the sake of trying my hand at rearing chicks and for the fun of the process, which I know is horribly selfish. I feel awful. I realize that the chances of selling my males are bleak. Rehoming for free was my backup plan since before I even set the eggs in the incubator, but I did not know then just how poorly free cockerels can be treated. From the looks of it, the poor guys are a prime target for people in search of a disposable rooster, whether for fighting/bait, live food, etc.

With this in mind, how can I get rid of them? These guys are like my own little babies, I love them dearly, so I don't want to cull in a way that will cause pain if I can avoid it. I can't bring myself to break their necks or cut their heads off. They're very healthy and robust so I'm not sure a vet would be willing to euthanize. Car exhaust, poisoning, gassing? Something else?

Gosh... this really breaks my heart. I have no problems culling sick animals, but having to put down my healthy little babies makes me want to cry. But I fear if I rehome them for free, they may end up in the hands of someone who won't care for them.

 

[Acre4Me]

Let them grow up longer-they might be females.

you are not a vent sexing trained expert, and from what I’ve learned, it is a hard task to become good at. Even hatcheries have a 10% or greater error rate.

once the possible boys are grown more, then you can sell on Craig’s list. Alternatively, sell all 3 now as straight run chicks. Your single female you currently plan to keep will be lonely, as chickens are flock animals.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I'm sorry

Can you try to find a home for them first?

Killing should be a last resort, I feel.

 

[MissE]

That's my worry, but I don't have the resources to keep them until they are old enough to be reliably sexed.

I've seen a suggestion on here about sealing the chick in an airtight Ziploc bag, and that the absence of oxygen will more or less just make him fall asleep. Could this be an option? I just can't make myself follow through with any acts of physical violence on a healthy baby chick. I would be disgusted with myself for the rest of my life.

You can sell them now as straight run. Suffocating is much more cruel than decapitation.

 

[Aapomp831]

That's my worry, but I don't have the resources to keep them until they are old enough to be reliably sexed.

I've seen a suggestion on here about sealing the chick in an airtight Ziploc bag, and that the absence of oxygen will more or less just make him fall asleep. Could this be an option? I just can't make myself follow through with any acts of physical violence on a healthy baby chick. I would be disgusted with myself for the rest of my life.

NO DONT DO THAT. How would you like it if someone stuck you in a plastic bag and closed it?
listen, I really don’t want to be ugly to you, but why didn’t you think of this before you hatched? And if you don’t have the resources to keep these 2 alive, then you shouldn’t have them.... PERIOD.
And again, suffocating anything is never Humane! Come on now....

 

[MissE]

I think 3 days is way to early to determine if they are cockerels. Even professional vent sexers have only a 90% success rate.

That said, the ways I would recommend are the ones you said you don't want to do. Unfortunately I cannot offer any other suggestions, as I will only use a method that is both quick and painless.

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

NO DONT DO THAT. How would you like it if someone stuck you in a plastic bag and closed it?
listen, I really don’t want to be ugly to you, but why didn’t you think of this before you hatched? And if you don’t have the resources to keep these 2 alive, then you shouldn’t have them.... PERIOD.
And again, suffocating anything is never Humane! Come on now....

Okay, I thought it seemed a bit... off, but lots of people seemed to approve of that particular method. Thanks for the conformation.

Before I hatched, I never considered that unwanted cockerels would risk being turned into sparring bait for gamecocks or live snake food. I fully realized that they could be difficult to sell, but I guess I just didn't want to consider that people would do those things.

I figured if they didn't sell by six weeks then I could rehome for free... same problem. I didn't think to research actual risks of cruelty because I didn't think other backyard chicken keepers could be so cruel. I only found the information I did by dumb luck. I'm sorry... this is my first hatch and I guess I just didn't think it all the way through. After all, I breed amphibians and fish which I by no means have the space to accommodate long term and have done so for years... though in hindsight I suppose this is more an issue with my practices as a whole. I feel terrible for doing this. I promise I won't hatch or breed anything again until I have the property to house them through adulthood.

 

[MissE]

Yeah I would rather they not be used for meat, but I wouldn't be entirely against it if the person taking the chicken was at least upfront about it. Unfortunately, from what I've seen, lying to the original owner about your plans for a free cockerel is par for the course. I'm not in the slightest bit worried about losing money because that's not what I started this for; I'm worried about the welfare of my animals.

I'm not sure if I will rear chickens again, especially since there's still a risk of ending up with a cockerel in a bunch of sexed pullets. Previously my only concern was having them sold by 6 weeks, since I have more than enough space for a nice big brooder and all the materials I need to sustain the 3 chicks for that time. I figured the resources for those 6 weeks were all I would need, as I could rehome for free if they got too big. After all that's how the 4-H programs in schools down here work, so surely if the city-slicker grade schoolers can do it, then a university student out in the boondocks can too. Plus I figured if I can sell 20+ exotic salamanders or 50+ betta fish in 3 weeks or less then I should have no problems here... after all those salamanders and fish would take several thousand gallons worth of tank space, which I have never even considered needing until now. However I realize now that this was an issue of my own irresponsibility and lack of preparation.

Now though my concern is that my chickens may be forced to suffer at someone else's hand if I were to rehome them for free, which was my backup plan since before I even put the eggs in the incubator. But knowing what I know now, that isn't a chance I want to take. If I could sell them for even a small fee then I wouldn't be worried, but I know that can take far longer than 6 weeks to accomplish.

What's the difference between culling them now, or letting someone raise them for several months and then turn them into dinner? Either way, the end result is the same, but at least as dinner, they weren't wasted.

I will permanently cull for injury/illness, meat, or agression. I won't permanently cull just because they are cockerels.

 

[MissE]

I may just bite the bullet and decapitate, then. I don't want them to suffer. My plan was to sell them as straight run or even rehome them for free, but I no longer feel comfortable doing so after seeing one too many horror stories about unwanted cockerels being used for sparring bait, live food for snakes or ferrets, etc. I've seen a number of posts on this forum in my research tonight about how "free to a good home" roosters are used for this as well, since they come at no cost and are easily accessible. Definitely not something I want to chance.

Obviously you need to do what you feel is best. I would suggest buying sexed chicks in the future instead of hatching.

What are you going to do with the lone female? It will need other chicks of the same age for company.

 

[OfWolvesAndHen]

Obviously you need to do what you feel is best. I would suggest buying sexed chicks in the future instead of hatching.

What are you going to do with the lone female? It will need other chicks of the same age for company.

I will not be rearing chicks again until I have my own land and a full coop. I realize now how irresponsible I was in doing this. Again the eggs were offered to me as a gift by my aunt and I just did not consider the risk of cruelty towards unwanted roosters.

In the event I did have to cull the boys, I would rehome the pullet. They're easy to find homes for out here in rural Georgia.