What do people do with boy chicks?

[Molpet]

I have been hatching for the meat because i do not like the life the store bought meat lived... my problem is the pullets. I have no problem processing the rowdy cockerels, but haven't been able to justify killing a perfectly good pullet.. and to make it worse i worry how any I sell will be treated.. so now I have 4 coops and 62 birds..
for one person LOl
I was so glad the batch the broody had at thanksgiving looks like 8 cockerels
I am going to have to sell some of the pullets come spring.

 

[Libby Shaver]

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

I know from a HATCHERY that they actually do this regularly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Before we got chickens my hubby and I agreed we didn't want roosters (especially as newbies to chicken keeping) and that we'd take on the responsibility of culling any cockerels as humanely as possible.

I was curious about how the local feed store handled having leftover cockerels since they always had some surplus older chicks from straight run orders plus buyers wanting started pullets. Their answer was to host a BBQ for the employees and friends.

 

[drumstick diva]

Hatcheries have so low regard for cockerel chicks, they use them as heating pads for pullets in a shipment. Recipients are not thrilled with a bunch of cockerel chicks to deal with. Yet they won't let you have free cockerels when seeking males. Just sad all the way around.

I raised and showed Cocker Spaniels many years ago, and was surprised how easy it was to sell show quality males. Oddly enough people didn't want to pay decent prices for females regardless of quality.

I think things have certainly changed by ads I see in the newspapers - everyone now wants females so they can earn $$$ for puppies.And mixed breeds are called designer breeds poo this or that, or pugabeagles, bassets and beyond. I can't get over how much money is spent buying a mixed breed ( we called them mutts back in the day) with better PR

 

[Folly's place]

The whole 'designer dog' thing is brilliant marketing, for sure!
Mary

 

[Morrigan]

I have been hatching for the meat because i do not like the life the store bought meat lived... my problem is the pullets. I have no problem processing the rowdy cockerels, but haven't been able to justify killing a perfectly good pullet.. and to make it worse i worry how any I sell will be treated.. so now I have 4 coops and 62 birds..
for one person LOl
I was so glad the batch the broody had at thanksgiving looks like 8 cockerels
I am going to have to sell some of the pullets come spring.

This is my problem too! A couple of years ago, I convinced my husband that we could eliminate buying CX broilers, if I let my broody hens have big hatches. The first go of it yielded 12 chicks, 9 of which proved to be pullets. Other than one born with a crossed beak, I couldn't bear to kill them. "Think of all the eggs!", I told my husband. The next year we were back to the CX. Of course, half of those are pullets as well, but I know they wouldn't do well over the long haul.