What do you do with excess roosters?

[jspeese]

This is off the subject, but what kind of floor is that? It looks like hardware cloth. If it is, I wouldn't use hardware cloth for the floor because it is rough on their feet. The woven wire they use for rabbit hutches is much better.

 

[Flo7]

I haven’t eaten meat, for a long time , and now chicken is definitely off my menu

 

[LizzzyJo]

I try to sell them online from the moment I know they’re a boy. If that doesn’t work then I dispatch and freeze whomever is annoying me at the moment.
Innocent until proven guilty.
I find it MUCH easier to cull once they attack me. I’ve done this as early as 9 weeks and I got a little Cornish game hen amount of carcass. And peace.
Anywhere between 8-14 hens to 1 roo.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I try to make every day perfect for all members of the flock, even the extra (unwanted) cockerels, every day except the last day... and I make that day as nice as I can for them before inviting them FOR dinner.

 

[LizzzyJo]

I try to make every day perfect for all members of the flock, even the extra (unwanted) cockerels, every day except the last day... and I make that day as nice as I can for them before inviting them FOR dinner.

Lol. ‘Good morning, sir. You’re looking beautiful and evil this morning. I would like to invite you inside for dinner...’

 

[oldhen2345]

I chose (yes, yes, I know there are other ways and I'll probably get yelled at) the ones I enjoy looking at and that aren't annoying or agressive.

There is not one thing wrong with that. Your yard, your roosters, your rules.

 

[Chicken Zen]

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

The first time I got chicks I had some pretty bad luck...I ended up raising 5 cockerels out of 6 chicks! They all started crowing very early, including the pullet, probably due to being surrounded by roos! I looked into every option, but just couldn't bring myself to process them. Props to anyone who does this, but I just wasn't ready. No luck on craigslist or other forums, but would recommend talking to the vendors at your local farmers market. I ended up bringing several of them in boxes to one of the produce vendors, who had lots of land and was happy to take them! Best of luck! Ps that lone pullet is still by far our loudest hen :/

 

[Strong86]

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?

We started with 8 straight run chicks (mix of Orpingtons - blue, black, lavender) in May and ended up with 5 roos and 3 hens. I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years, but that's my decision and I think the most important thing as others have mentioned here, is giving them the best life until it's time for them to go, and then you do that humanely. We wanted chickens for eggs, but want to have a sustainable operation where we can refresh and grow our flock as needed over the coming years. We keep our chickens are both livestock (live in the barn, provide us with eggs) and pets (have names). We live in a rural area in Canada and by posting online actually found 4 small farms in the area that were looking to add a rooster to their backyard flock or hobby farm. Our ratio of 3 hens to 1 roo has worked so far - but Orpingtons are quite docile, including our roo. I think it really depends on the flock and the rooster - we are prepared to separate him from the ladies if needed, but so far the worst outcome from the mating has been a few mildly bloodied combs, that were easily treated. The ladies act healthy and happy. The recommended ratio is 10:1, but I've seen as low as 2:1 work fine, so I am hoping that our 3:1 will be ok through the winter until we can grow our flock a bit.

I've also seen people here on BYC do "bachelor flocks" and that seems to work well if you have a hard time parting with them

 

[Gordonsetter2007]

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 read that at least a 1/6 ratio is good for Roos and hens. I feel bad for you because I’m in the same boat as you. I bought three older chicks, guaranteed to be Silkie pullets. ONE is Silkie and HE is a gorgeous buff roo. Fortunately, he is submissive to the blue pterodactyl looking roo. I have one little white girl, and again, I don’t know what she is, but NOT a Silkie. I had a 4th baby that was another pterodactyl, and I found a little girl that wanted a lap chicken for a pet, and he fit on her lap perfectly.
So I am quite attached to my three, and they seem to rub along quite well together and will stay as they are as long as they do.
You can keep the boys together in their own bachelor coop if you have the space and extra coop. When they grow up together, they seem to have a better bond.
I had a very difficult time rehoming the one roo, and if I wasn’t desperate and not as keen on him, I’d have been in trouble. I personally can’t eat anything that I have held in my hands and loved on, so good luck with that.
Sorry that I can only offer my story and not many solutions to you. As they say, the struggle is real. Good luck!

 

[SueT]

We have a monthly poultry swap in our area. I have taken our extra boys there and sold them.