What about the roos

[KZ]

Ok, don't hate me for asking, but what about the roosters you hatch when incubating eggs. It seems to me that if you get too many roosters they are going to fight and cause trouble in the barnyard. I can't imagine they are easy to sell or get rid of. Do you eat them?

 

[gryeyes]

I don't eat mine.

I do have far too many roos, but surprisingly, they all get along. There was one skirmish with a young roo challenging the dominant roo, but it ended with only feather loss and a bruised ego on the part of the challenger. He now avoids the dominant roos at all costs.

It's not the norm, though, as I understand it.

In other words, your mileage may vary.

 

[ScissorChick]

If we get to many roosters, we have no problem finding them homes.

However people do eat them. Up to you!

 

[macdoogle]

I'm hatching for the first time and want to know the answer too. I actually want to keep at least 1 roo. I feel that if I get one 'by chance' I can talk my neighbors into it. I have nice neighbors and have been bribing with eggs for a while. Otherwise there is a butcher shop down the road that I plan to talk to. I think they may be able to accomodate any extras. It's really all talk for now. Once it's mine I have a really hard time letting go.

 

[CANDLE98]

I had 13 extra roos and I rehomed the silkies and i ate the other ones. They were way tastey at about 6 months!

 

[macdoogle]

I do think that the chicken you buy at the supermarket is someones Roo.

 

[ekemily]

We eat ours, unless it's a roo that looks like it would make a nice addition to a flock. Then, we sell it for more than it's worth to buy for eating... about $10.
I do not enjoy dispatching the roos, but it's unavoidable if you're planning on eating them. I tell them thank you, and I do it quickly. It's very satisfying to me to know that I hatched this chick, raised it with care, and was able to put the bird on my table to nourish my family. Some people can't believe I can raise a baby chick into an adult and then eat it. I ask them if they've ever eaten a chicken that wasn't killed. Since I do eat chicken, I would much rather eat a bird that I know everything about, rather than one from the store.

 

[wannabchick]

Quote:
Your funny...
Lol

 

[Sunny Side Up]

The chicken you buy at the supermarket is a bird especially bred to grow big & meaty in just 8 weeks. It's really a big chick, and probably doesn't even know if it's a male or female by the time it's processed.

It's smart to consider what you'll do with all your unwanted roos before you begin a hatching project. The reality of life for roosters is that in a mixed flock the ideal ratio is 1:10. And many flocks have no roosters at all. So there really are "job positions" as breeders, pets, or flock husbands for a mere 10% of all roosters hatched. The other 90% really have their purpose on a plate somewhere.

You could learn to process them yourself, find a local processer, or advertise them on Craigslist or at your feed store. Some of them might be fortunate to find a better place to go, but be resigned to this fact of rooster reality.

 

[Liamm_1]

Quote:

I recently hatched 12 White Leghorns. Although they are not typically a meat bird, I will process all but 1 roo for consumption.
I'll keep the top roo for breeding. This was the plan from the beginning, so they won't be 'pets'.
As far as cornish X (supermarket chickens) go, I'd assume that most factory farmers choose all males, for uniform production, am I wrong?