What do you do with cockerels that you can’t keep?

[TheAlrightyGina]

Does anyone actually eat silkies? I have 3 boys and am struggling with what to do.

I have. They're good eating just like any other yard bird, just a little odd if you're not used to their flesh color. Plus, their feathers are great for pillows as all their feathers are pretty much down. Just wash and dry them in a pillow case (well tied) before use.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

One of our males is starting to get aggressive with me, so I'm feeling less and less bad about giving him away or eating him, but he's such a gorgeous fluffy bird.

And this is why I have eaten Silkie. Didn't get aggressive with me but started attacking my kid and would not stop. But mine were also broiler Silkies (the hatchery sent me the wrong product), I'm hoping that I won't have that problem with any future Silkie boys.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Well, you already tried Craigslist, which is usually what I suggest. Here's my article that I usually share, and maybe you want to check it out just in case it can give you some tips that might be able to help you. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-post-on-craigslist.76257/
Before Craigslist, I had a deal with the mailman. He took my extra roosters and retired hens and donated their meat to food banks. After the mailman changed, I re-homed birds by word of mouth. Then I started using Craigslist. There was only one time that I couldn't rehome a couple of roosters. This is what I did to re-home those:
I have this table at the end of my driveway. Everyone calls it The Free Table because we're always putting free stuff on it. Well, because I had these roosters that nobody was taking, and I had a crate that I was getting ready to put on The Free Table, I put those roosters in that crate, put some food and water inside with them, locked their door with zip ties, and placed them on that Free Table. They were gone before the day was over. That worked for me, and I kept a close eye on them to make certain that they were ok, but I wouldn't ever have that as my top way of re-homing birds.

 

[neo71665]

Does anyone actually eat silkies? I have 3 boys and am struggling with what to do.

Yep. My grandmother raised them and we ate them all the time growing up.

 

[catballou]

I guess nobody likes taking things out in the country where there's plenty of food for it in the woods and stuff and dropping it off near a water supply so it can drink. I do that all the time still see several birds I let loose run across these 120 acre fields at times.

So they get eaten by something else, starve to death or freeze to death? That's disgusting!

 

[Mewcycle]

I didn’t read through all the responses so if someone already said this, disregard! I just found homes for six 4 week old chicks by advertising them on “Next Door” only. I said up front that there could be roosters. There were only 2 that I was fairly certain were pullets. And I was going to keep those two but someone really wanted them. They were all free. And if they eat them, that’s fine...I just know I don’t want to do it. I’d rather buy my chicken to eat.
So try “next door “!

 

[maddie1964]

I’m not sure where to post this, sorry if this isn’t the right place. But I have a 7 week old Olive Egger cockerel. He did a cute little baby voice CHICK A DOODLE DOO this morning. Not loud, but it was obvious. We cannot have roosters where we live. I have posted him on Craigslist, various local chicken/farm groups on FB, and MeWe. The humane society here doesn’t take “livestock”. I do not know what to do with this bird. I’d rather if he didn’t go to someone that was going to eat him (he’s so small anyway), but I’m getting desperate. I did find a rooster rescue group, but they require you to forfeit your entire flock and sign a contract saying you’ll never get more chickens and basically commit to being vegan . I know lots of folks on here have ended up with accidental cockerels - what did you end up doing?

 

[maddie1964]

I’m not sure where to post this, sorry if this isn’t the right place. But I have a 7 week old Olive Egger cockerel. He did a cute little baby voice CHICK A DOODLE DOO this morning. Not loud, but it was obvious. We cannot have roosters where we live. I have posted him on Craigslist, various local chicken/farm groups on FB, and MeWe. The humane society here doesn’t take “livestock”. I do not know what to do with this bird. I’d rather if he didn’t go to someone that was going to eat him (he’s so small anyway), but I’m getting desperate. I did find a rooster rescue group, but they require you to forfeit your entire flock and sign a contract saying you’ll never get more chickens and basically commit to being vegan . I know lots of folks on here have ended up with accidental cockerels - what did you end up doing?

Try not to get discouraged. It took me a while but I always placed every Cockrell some more quickly than others just keep calling around and someone will eventually take him. I had the best luck at farms they were close by. Mostly commercial farms but ask everybody you know and you’d be surprised some of the little someone who’s looking for one especially because he’s an elevatoTry not to get discouraged. It took me a while but I always placed every Cockrell some more quickly than others just keep calling around and someone will eventually take him. I had the best luck at farms they were close by. Mostly commercial farms but ask everybody you know and you’d be surprised some of the little someone who’s looking for one especially because he’s an olive eager someone will want him!

 

[GoodGuinea]

Judging by your name, are you in the Philadephia area? If so, I may know a place that will take him. Send me a message if you're interested.

 

[MadamContrary]

Just be persistent in placing ads each week, I find weekends the best time. Also if you're flexible about meeting people further away from you you'll have a better chance. The breed seems to make a big difference, in my area Marans are highly desirable but, it's taken me 3 months to find a home for a mixed frizzle. I was prepared to process him if no one wanted to take him. We do raise quail for meat so, I'm a bit more used to the idea, but quail are much simpler to process than chicken.
And I have to say, dogs are much louder than any cockerel I've had! I think the noise is not the issue, it's a mature Cock attacking someone that I'd be concerned about.