What do you do with all of your roosters?

[jjb1953]

I would really love to hatch for educational purposes.
I am wondering though, what does everyone do if they end up with too many roosters?
I have thought of just giving away ... do you find people are in search of roosters? Or is this just wishful thinking?

Thanks

J

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

Sell them, trade for hens, give away, keep them or eat them.

 

[Melody the Goat]

We usually butcher and eat the roosters we don't want/can't keep. They are very tasty home-raised!

 

[dekel18042]

I would really love to hatch for educational purposes.
I am wondering though, what does everyone do if they end up with too many roosters?
I have thought of just giving away ... do you find people are in search of roosters? Or is this just wishful thinking?

Thanks

J

Before you even think of hatching it is good to recognize at least 50% of your hatchlings will be cockerels and I've read several sources it can be and often is a 55% to 45% split with the higher number being boys.
Sometimes you can sell straight run early on unless you are breeding sex links or autosexing breeds.
And giving away, unless you ask no questions isn't that easy. Usually I have a bachelor pad and will hold onto the nice ones hoping someone will want a friendly cockerel.
In some areas there are auctions you can take them to.

 

[ejcrist]

Sell them, trade for hens, give away, keep them or eat them.

That 'bout sums it up. We eat most but if you decide to give away, like dekel18042 said, try not to put too many conditions on it. I've known people that insisted their cockerels go to a good home with at least 10 hens, can free-range, etc., and in no instance can they be eaten. And then they wonder why they're still holding on to an adult rooster three years later. Just wanted to point that out.

 

[ChickAsThieves]

In my experience, it's not easy to give a roo away even if he's free and is a purebred bird. Most people can't have them, don't want them, or are limited to one. We were able to give a Dominique roo to a local "chicken guy" who has over 100 birds and let's them free range.

In the fall, we had to cull a Swedish Flower roo because we couldn't find a soul who wanted him. We had already chosen to keep our Black Copper Marans roo who readily accepted the No Crow collar. When we attempted to put a collar on the Swedish Flower, he got nasty so it was bye-bye birdie!

I see roos listed on Craigslist for $15 or more and it always perplexes me. Unless you have an in demand breed then I think it's unlikely someone will purchase your roo. But hey, I could be wrong!

 

[AllynTal]

I would really love to hatch for educational purposes.
I am wondering though, what does everyone do if they end up with too many roosters?
I have thought of just giving away ... do you find people are in search of roosters? Or is this just wishful thinking?

Thanks

J

We eat them. I slow-roasted one of our boys last night and he was delicious. As others have already pointed out, it isn't easy to get rid of a rooster. Honestly, if you don't have a plan to deal with them that is within your control BEFORE you start hatching eggs (listing them on Craigslist and hoping someone takes them is NOT in your control) you shouldn't start hatching eggs.

 

[junebuggena]

Mine end up feeding my family for a few reasons. After all the time and feed that went into raising them, I'd rather get a meal or two out of them rather than give them away to be somebody else's dinner. And I don't have to buy as much commercially produced meat. I'd rather eat a cockerel that lived a humane life rather than purchase commercially raised meat.

 

[jjb1953]

Before you even think of hatching it is good to recognize at least 50% of your hatchlings will be cockerels and I've read several sources it can be and often is a 55% to 45% split with the higher number being boys.
Sometimes you can sell straight run early on unless you are breeding sex links or autosexing breeds.
And giving away, unless you ask no questions isn't that easy. Usually I have a bachelor pad and will hold onto the nice ones hoping someone will want a friendly cockerel.
In some areas there are auctions you can take them to.

 

[jjb1953]

We eat them. I slow-roasted one of our boys last night and he was delicious. As others have already pointed out, it isn't easy to get rid of a rooster. Honestly, if you don't have a plan to deal with them that is within your control BEFORE you start hatching eggs (listing them on Craigslist and hoping someone takes them is NOT in your control) you shouldn't start hatching eggs.