What do you do with excess roosters?

[U_Stormcrow]

....by 30 weeks, it makes better sausage. Even a yogurt marinade for three days won't make it tender enough to bake or grill.

 

[ackie]

My original plan was to sell them with the hens as a trio (or more hens + 1 roo) but that didn't work out, so luckily I found a family who buys them to eat.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

I ended up attached to my chicks, egg laying breeds of Wyandotte, Ameraucana, RIR & Buff Orpington. 10 chicks, 5 grew into Roos. Right now at 7 & 8 mos of age 3 Roos are together with no hens & getting along together in their "bachelor pad" but the other 2 Wyandottes became very grumpy & aloof. So now I have to build another coop to keep everyone happy. Why do they all have to be so sweet & huggable? No way could I ever consider butchering my flock but that's just me.

Gorgeous roosters! You should totally post their pictures in the bachelor pad thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-flock-thread.1221382/.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

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,

This is a fantastic suggestion!

Best to know your local market rules.. NO live animals at mine.

But still a great idea to make contact first and maybe arrangements thereafter.

....by 30 weeks, it makes better sausage. Even a yogurt marinade for three days won't make it tender enough to bake or grill.

We use the ground meat just like ground beef also.. in tacos, taco salad, spaghetti sauce.. same idea.. I just never considered sausages.. since I don't care for breakfast sausage.. but have totally bought chicken apple sausages now that you mention it!

Regarding baking.. we still do it slow and low.. covered with moisture added.. ultimately tuning into shredded sandwiches, enchiladas, etc.. even then I still like to make sure the shred aren't super long & might cut them in half. Maybe that's just in the oven but not baked.. The kitchen ain't where I shine.

I value vegetarians who share their thoughts without judging others! And I still might end up there, as a personal choice for a multitude of reasons. Seeing happy, well adjusted vegetarians is much nicer for a change.. than meeting angry scornful Karen's trying to spew their.. Well, let's just say I love this BYC community that comes together in kindness!

 

[ackie]

This is a fantastic suggestion!

Best to know your local market rules.. NO live animals at mine.

But still a great idea to make contact first and maybe arrangements thereafter.


We use the ground meat just like ground beef also.. in tacos, taco salad, spaghetti sauce.. same idea.. I just never considered sausages.. since I don't care for breakfast sausage.. but have totally bought chicken apple sausages now that you mention it!

Regarding baking.. we still do it slow and low.. covered with moisture added.. ultimately tuning into shredded sandwiches, enchiladas, etc.. even then I still like to make sure the shred aren't super long & might cut them in half. Maybe that's just in the oven but not baked.. The kitchen ain't where I shine.

I value vegetarians who share their thoughts without judging others! And I still might end up there, as a personal choice for a multitude of reasons. Seeing happy, well adjusted vegetarians is much nicer for a change.. than meeting angry scornful Karen's trying to spew their.. Well, let's just say I love this BYC community that comes together in kindness!

oh heck now I'm thinking about chicken apple sausage

 

[Mogul Moonshine]

Our poltry swap will take Roos for 5$ and they have and all roosters’’ batchalor pad”

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Gorgeous roosters! You should totally post their pictures in the bachelor pad thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rooster-flock-thread.1221382/.

I just did, thanks

 

[AltonaAcres]

I actually have good luck selling cockerels on Craigslist.

 

[LikeTurkeys]

I actually have good luck selling cockerels on Craigslist.

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).

 

[DaintyBess]

I think around ten to twelve hens per roosters works. I have had two roosters in my flock of 14 hens for years. It works out best if they are clearly dominate and subordinate. I've rehomed roosters that were too closely matched, because of the constant vying for position. It works out even better if they are raised together and have time to work it out before they are mature.
Otherwise I rehome them. I like to make unique videos now.