What do people do with boy chicks?

[Lili Smith]

hi everyone! I was thinking about one day hatching out some eggs and I was thinking what would happen if I hatched more cockerels than pullets. Of course everyone wants more pullets but the reality is that you get half of each. People say that they keep their chickens in a 1:10 ratio of roosters to hens but what do they do with the other 9 baby boy chicks? Do people kill and eat them? What if you want chickens for eggs and you don’t want to kill any? Can the chicks grow up naturally together with half of each gender and stay in that herd? What would happen in the wild, would the cockerals fight and only leave a couple alive?

This has really interested me and I can’t find any answers elsewhere so all responses are appreciated, thanks.

 

[Welshies]

People kill and eat them or sell them.
It's 1 rooster for every 5-8 hens. Otherwise fights ensue and overmating issues arise.

 

[junebuggena]

It's called freezer camp. Any males that don't sell are processed once large enough. Too many cockerels can become a major source of stress to the hens and pullets. In the wild, it's not so much of an issue thanks to predation.

 

[BantyChooks]

It's called freezer camp. Any males that don't sell are processed once large enough. Too many cockerels can become a major source of stress to the hens and pullets. In the wild, it's not so much of an issue thanks to predation.

Agree. In hatcheries, the male chicks are killed at one day old.

If you do not want to kill them you might be able to sell them on Craigslist, but they still end up as soup. If you don't want that you should reconsider hatching.

It's unfortunate but part of the fancy.

 

[Welshies]

Agree. In hatcheries, the male chicks are killed at one day old..

Where is your source? I have NEVER heard this. Roosters are killed frequently at 16-20 weeks though.

 

[Folly's place]

Don't hatch unless you have an actual plan for all those cockerels. Depending on breed, some might be salable, and then they are out of your hands.
Most male chickens are destined to be dinner, and that's a worthy end, IMO. Chicken soup. Chicken pet food. Yummy roast chicken!
In nature, most chickens are also dinner for someone!
I've always had roosters, but only so many; right now it's four in a flock of 41 birds total, and in spring, one of them will be moving on.
Some of mine go into my freezer, some move to other flocks, and some few stay here.
Mary

 

[Welshies]

Don't hatch unless you have an actual plan for all those cockerels. Depending on breed, some might be salable, and then they are out of your hands.
Most male chickens are destined to be dinner, and that's a worthy end, IMO. Chicken soup. Chicken pet food. Yummy roast chicken!
In nature, most chickens are also dinner for someone!
I've always had roosters, but only so many; right now it's four in a flock of 41 birds total, and in spring, one of them will be moving on.
Some of mine go into my freezer, some move to other flocks, and some few stay here.
Mary

Agreed. I have 5 roosters in a flock of 12 birds. 4 of those are 10 weeks old and being raised to butcher.

 

[Folly's place]

Yes, many zillions of male chicks are killed at sexing, because there's no market value in leghorn or sex-link cockerels. For everyone who orders only pullets, ask what happens to those cockerels. Some hatcheries only sell straight run chicks, and that's a good thing, IMO. Reality strikes here!
Mary

 

[sourland]

Do a Google search on 'Disposal of male chicks'. It's sad but true.

 

[turtlelaura67]

That's why we let very few hatch. The Polish that hatched was, thankfully, a female. The 3 Silkie chicks wound up being 2 cockerels and one pullet. We don't want to be in a situation where we have to send them away to be slaughtered. So we deal with it and just make sure we have enough space for everybody. When I see eggs now I just toss them.