Thinning out the extra roosters: butcher or sell? If sell, how much?

[desertmarcy]

I bought quite a few hatching eggs this winter, all sorts of different breeds. The chicks are now 3-1/2 to 4 months old, a few are younger, but most are in this range. I need to evaluate which roosters to keep for breeding, not an easy task for a novice. But what to do with the ones I don't want to keep?

My original plan was to butcher and freeze, and I'll still do that for most I guess, but my freezer became unexpectedly fuller due to a bobcat attack that killed 23 4-month old hens that were to be new layers. We salvaged them, the bobcat only ate one and left the rest dead. They were not huge, only dressed out at about 2-1/2 pounds each--but still taking up a lot of freezer space. So I'm not sure how many of the roosters I can fit in there, and I've been told I'd better do it soon before they get tough. They have all been fed organic feed since day one, and given that I see people giving away roosters on Craig's List, I wonder if it is worth trying to sell any of them. And if so, for how much? They are a nice mix of breeds--RIR, Barred Rock, Cuckoo Marans, Black Copper Marans, Splash Marans, Blue Laced Red Wyandotte, Delaware. The RIR come from show stock, but that doesn't mean much to the average buyer around here I don't think. I doubt I'd be able to get the cost of the feed to grow them if I sold them, the organic feed costs me about $27/50 lb bag and I really don't know how much one bird eats in 4 months. I just know I'm opening a new bag every time I turn around

It's also a lot of work to kill/process since I do it all by hand, no automatic plucker. I'd really like to offer some for sale, could be someone needs a nice roo, but don't know what is reasonable. Opinions?

 

[Pele]

You might be able to charge for the Cuckoo and Splash Marans, but unfortunately the truth is that most people won't pay for a rooster unless it's a pure pedigree show bird, or a very unusual variety they really want.

I had to put all of mine on Craigslist for free.

 

[Mrs. K]

do you have friends and neighbors? Sometimes they are kind of interested in the whole process, but are intimidated into processing on their own. As you have experience, several people working together, a lot can get done in a short amount of time. Maybe you can get some other food or service as trade.

MrsK

 

[NCchicken]

I had to put all of mine on Craigslist for free.

Me too

I tried to sell them for practically nothing but I didn't get a single bite...for weeks. So I had to post them for free. Sure enough within about 30 mintues I was getting calls. I'm sorry, I guess I'm not much help.

 

[vickie2133]

If some one needs a rooster I will give them one, two lol or three. I need my hens and always end up with too many roos.

 

[ILuvMyPetChickens]

Were selling two Silkie Roosters. We have like 4 Roosters now. Most of our rooster we put up for free.

 

[cmom]

I am taking my extra roos to a swap sat. What doesn't sell there goes to the auction the following Friday night. I have way too many...

 

[bburn]

Rooster and dumplings is outstanding. I hatched two batches of chicks this spring. I have already separated all known roosters. My plan is to grow them out and DH can process them for the freezer. He thinks he can sell them at the swap.....will let him try!! But I am going to fatten mine up and he can get them ready for the freezer...after the swap meet.

 

[RiddleMe]

Might be worth putting an ad on CL for a "processing class", see if anyone wants to pay $5 or whatever to learn how to process their own chickens. That would get you some helping hands and a little cash in your pocket, while providing a use for the extra roos. And if you're short on freezer space, you might even be able to up the price a couple bucks and send home the processed birds with your students. You might not get any replies (I'm sure you'll get some negative ones), but you might find some folks who are interested in learning but have no idea where to go for that type of education. If I were in your area, I would attend.

 

[desertmarcy]

Quote:
That's an interesting idea. I might do that if it weren't so blasted hot here right now--103 degrees in the shade at 4 pm. For me just doing 5-10 minutes of chores outside, the heat just wipes me out. It was already hot by 10 am this morning

For those of you who do butcher, is there an optimal age to butcher the non-cornish cross meat birds? When they are somewhat filled out, but not tough? I'm asking about Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock, Delaware, and Black Copper Marans, those are the ones I have the most roosters I'd like to dispose of.