Too many roos ... what would YOU do?

[Don]

Quote:
BTW: LOVE the Churkey loft!
My A Frame is kind of the same concept.

 

[bluey]

Quote:
BTW: LOVE the Churkey loft!
My A Frame is kind of the same concept.

Thanks! Eighteen months ago, I didn't know a thing about chickens, much less how to build a coop. It's amazing the things you will learn from folks. I love seeing other folks' coop construction. My wheels are always turning for the next coop....

 

[NurseNettie]

All the advice you've gotten is dead on. If you're ok with eating them, any time now is just fine to process them. We've got way too many roos and have already processed 5, and culled a sixth ( he wasn't meat quality as far as we were concerned due to some obvious neurological issues). We've got at least six more to go- though we should have done it by now, our schedules are opposite so timing has been an issue. Where we hatched a bunch of our own, and got a pullet selection that was maybe half pullets-- and being inexperienced, we've had to wait to see who was what also, before processing. Now that most of the questionable ones have either crowed or layed, we're all set

 

[Ellie_NY_chick]

I feel your pain! When I got my first 11 birds, 7 of them turned out to be roos! Talk about rotton luck! I couldn't even be mad because I picked them out.

I couldn't eat them, so rehoming was the option I chose.

Good luck!

 

[Skip]

Eat the roos is what I would do. The meat will be fine up until they are seven months old. Then it'll start to toughen up and take on a dark taste. I've eating the tougher meat, and it's not that bad, but it'll taste better if you eat them sooner.

 

[Mahonri]

Barred rock roos, 16 weeks. Delicious.

 

[cmom]

Fried chicken, yum yum!!! Get some new girls.

 

[Emzyyy]

...poor roosters, I don't know but I get more attached to the roo's then the hen's, my roo's always seem to have cute personalitlys. I have eight roosters and eleven hens in one pen and I haven't had any fights yet, I mean once in awhile a peck on the head or something but not like severe and no chickens are missing feathers or anything, they get along.

 

[jjparke]

I would eat them and do it soon. They should be delicious.

 

[snowydiamonds]

Very few people in my area know what to do w/birds and those that do either eat them or don't care for them properly in some fashion and quite a few have allowed their flocks to freeze or die unnecessarily so my only responsible option is to put my extras in the freezer.

My wonderful neighbors (a married couple literally in my backyard and I in theirs) and I are partners in chickens and also have our own flocks/coops. We are planning another butcher day for next weekend because I wanted to hold onto more of mine longer and they wisely got their flock down to one and a happy, healthy flock for the winter.

I want a roo for each flock and my young ones are now proving I've got too many roos coming into age while I've also decided body type is important along w/small or rosecombs and small wattles to lessen chances of frostbite.

With the way the economy is going downhill, I ended up a few extra flocks for free and am growing into this new experience while learning on the job. I am sad to let roo's go to the freezer, they are so beautiful and interesting but I cannot afford to keep a flock of roos with as many animals I've got, its a bit of a luxury at this point to keep ducks and six geese year round never mind the cats and dogs!