What do you do with excess roosters?

[ackie]

Me too! What a shock for me when I actually sold 4 sixteen week old cockerels for $10 each. And they weren't even pure bred, just my own barnyard mixes. I didn't expect it and they were set to be slaughtered during Thanksgiving weekend, but hey, they got out of it good didn't they! One went to a family and three others to an older couple. My usual plan is just to use them for meat but with this success I think I am going to always try selling or 'rehoming' first. One cockerel left! (and he is the nicest of the bunch too).

That's awesome! the guy who's been buying my cockrells ghosted me so hopefully he comes back haha. Mine was a CL find too.

 

[Avian Allie]

You need a patriarch roo lol. Our first roo was raised in a large flock and he kept the peace between all my boys once they got old enough to fight. As he was dying (I could feel the screw through his gullet and couldn’t do anything but he wasn’t in pain) I put him in his shelter and all the girls and boys came in one by one, almost as if to say goodbye. After that I had one roo spend a bit longer, then he came out and crowed and he has been my patriarch ever since. Basically, a patriarch is the head rooster, and if you manage to get a good one he will train up the rest too, they also stop fights from getting too serious and will give their lives for the flock. I have had up to twenty some roosters with virtually no issues because my patriarch and his buddies would keep the young ‘uns in line. I’ve had a bantam rooster defend chicks from a huge snake (over 6’) and other amazing things. I’ve always been gifted with roosters lol, but my boys seriously don’t attack. The ones that have tried will get themselves beat up by my old rooster. He will come running from across the yard if ANYONE is giving me trouble, and he helped train my big boy to behave (he’s over my knee and as big as my geese) and now he is a sweetheart who I can trust. My first patriarch would step on the boys heads and hold them beak to beak, this new one usually just goes toe to toe and a few good pecks. I also had an ancient hen who would back up her rooster, but she died earlier this year at like 10ish . Anyway, long story short, a good patriarch and matriarch team and you can keep a lot of boys together. Just watch That the hens don’t get over taxed.

 

[Shezadandy]

Sorry if this is duplicate advice, so many great posts in this thread!

If you're planning to hatch your own eggs, think about what you want in the babies you'll hatch. Size will matter if you plan to eat the extra boys. If egg color is a factor for you and you have any of the blue/green layers in your mix, look for a cockerel with a pea comb - oftentimes it goes with having the blue egg gene.

But mostly one that's nice to you, nice to the hens, and meets your own personal criteria. I just had a 2-3 month old cockerel that started picking fights with the hens. For a few days it seemed like there were more squabbles going on, but I didn't know who (big area, lots of birds).

Then it became clear when he posted himself by the coop to harass the hens as they went to lay eggs - he forced hens to fight him, and when they'd give up and run, he chased them down and ripped a chunk of feathers out of their backs and kicked them one more time. While I watched, he did this to 5 hens in under 10 minutes ... so I caught him- and dispatched him on the spot. A cute black cockerel with a pea comb and crest feathers ... none of which mattered at that point.

They can change dramatically once hormones hit- what they do when it happens dictates their fate in my flock. Whatever switch flipped in his young brain that said attack and hurt the hens isn't one I want to pass on - and nobody gets to give the girls a bad time.

There's a difference between learning the act of mating and the inevitable pullet squabbles and screams that will go with it in the beginning. It's important to watch what's actually going on while everyone figures things out - that can help narrow the field. Not every roo will be a sweet talking Cassanova - but there's no reason to put up with one who is rough or abusive to the hens. For mine, aggression towards the hens is an immediate deal breaker. I keep several adult roosters and usually the cockerels until the 4-5 month range, all with the main flock, and it is peaceful. Then I decide who is worth keeping, who is worth the effort of rehoming, and who becomes meat.

Getting that first good rooster is the challenge, because he doesn't have an authority figure to learn from. The other factor is your girls are the same age- if there were older girls, they would lay down the law for that first group of cockerels growing up.

So, you may want to be prepared to have a separate pen for the guys until the girls start laying as soon as they begin pestering the not-yet-ready pullets. Some do this and add one rooster at a time to see how he treats them as part of the decision making process.

Welcome!

 

[SulkyBantam]

I have had these precious little fluff balls for a week now and already feel really attached. We ordered 15 unsexed, so chances are well have a fair amount of roos. We were planning to cull the extras to eat, but I don't know now.....

What do you all do with extra roos? What is a good roo to hen ratio? View attachment 2398257View attachment 2398257

I keep or rehome then. It is different for every breed, but 1 roo to 5 hens works pretty well for us but that's because brother roos don't fight so much.

 

[VonSFarms]

I have had these precious little fluff balls for a week now and already feel really attached. We ordered 15 unsexed, so chances are well have a fair amount of roos. We were planning to cull the extras to eat, but I don't know now.....

What do you all do with extra roos? What is a good roo to hen ratio? View attachment 2398257View attachment 2398257

We had 1 roo for 13 hens a couple years ago and he was by far the meanest roo (Silkie) ever! Had plenty of ladies and was great with them and awful to humans. Now we have 5 Roo's all different breeds and all are SOO NICE that I couldn't imagine getting rid of them. We have 28 chickens now and each roo has his little group of ladies and everyone is happy. No one fights and it seems like all is well. The temperament of each roo is important as well as your flock. They also don't crow a lot which must be down to pecking order. We have 1 roo in charge (Easter Egger) and everyone else falls in line with no squabbles. Kinda crazy but I'm not complaining!

 

[Vickischics]

I dont keep any Roos in my flock of eight. Not because I only have 8 girls but, because I don't want to deal with the Roos hormones after reading and learning about the issues on BYC.
My neighbor has 30 chickens and had 2 Roos. They were loud and we all live on 3 acres each. So, our proximity isn't that close.
!Then, one day I agreed to help cull them after the deal breaker was an agressive attempt to flog their two boys, ages 3 and 8.
ZERO tolerance for that behavior.
A Bonus for helping cull them was, my son got the required skin and feathers for his Avid Fly tying hobbie and we put dinner on the table that night. The sad part is, they were gorgeous!!!!
Now, my neighbors two kids can play outside without being hunted down by two mean hormonal cockerels.

The sound of little voices laughing, running and playing in the distance is far better than a blood currtling scream from a Flogging.

Good Luck!
Vicki

 

[Abriana]

I’ve had as few as 9 hens to one rooster (technically 8-1 because one hen was a bantam and the rooster was regular-sized), never had a problem. I’ve had over 15-2 ratio, one male that was a young cockerel. Did NOT go well. Older roosters are so much more mature. I’d say a good number is 10-1 but just be careful with the cockerels and make sure the hens aren’t scared or bare-backed from over-mating.

I never have and never will process a chicken if I can help it, we always gave ours to a man who said he “free ranges” them. I don’t know about that, but I didn’t ask any further questions. He was gentle with them though, which made me feel better. He was up in years and doesn’t take them anymore, so the last few cockerels we had we gave to a friend. If you are into or able to process yourself that is an excellent way to be resourceful with them, I just have too soft a heart.

 

[chickenenthusiasts5698]

Depends are the breed and temperament for me. Mean roosters gets listed on craigslist for free for more than likely dinner. ( I always let people know they’re mean) I personally don’t have the heart to cull. Nice roosters get rehomed or currently i’m trying out a bachelor flock (Fingers crossed) and they will be free ranged. Fancy breeds I try to keep but if it doesn’t work out I sell them. If all else fails I have a man in my area who adds them to his flock and free ranges them on his farm. I don’t personally love roosters but they do give me chicks and protect the hens a little I prefer a 1:20 ratio I feel this keeps thing mellow and keeps the hens from being overbred while keeping a good fertility rate. (Hope i’m not to late to this post)

 

[Pipermom]

Freezer Camp. And leave them until you forget their names.

 

[Reiki Rooster]

I have had these precious little fluff balls for a week now and already feel really attached. We ordered 15 unsexed, so chances are well have a fair amount of roos. We were planning to cull the extras to eat, but I don't know now.....

What do you all do with extra roos? What is a good roo to hen ratio? View attachment 2398257View attachment 2398257

I have all of my hens penned with one rooster, the lucky guy, all the other roosters I let roam my property, free range. The keep the fire ant and al other creepy crawlies down, I’ve never seen a fight and they all have their own little homes for the night next to my house. One even has learned when he yells at the front door he gets extra treats lol. That works well for us.