What do you do with unwanted Cockerels ?

[Wynette]

Please do not just "let them go" if you don't want them. They can easily get wounded from a predator and suffer an extremely long, painful death. That's not fair to the bird.

 

[Akrnaf2]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, or even how to ask. We are just getting started with chickens. A hen adopted us, and then a rooster - then two young pullets just show up - NOW, we have ordered some babies!! SO, as I contemplate how our flock might progress - we consider the excitement of having a hen go broody and having baby chicks. But then, I wonder - what would we do with another Rooster? We have one, and for the most part he is a dutiful companion to his hen and tolerates the pullets. He does sometimes try to keep the young ones from eating and letting them roost in the nest box - but I digress. WHAT would we do if we did get a hen that was willing and she hatched a bunch of baby Roo's!?!?

We have no desire or intentions to cull any of our chickens. If you are unwilling to kill them - what do most people end up doing with unwanted Cockerels or Roosters? Just putting the cart before the horse - again.

Sell or eat them.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed with Wynette. Previous poster stated, "just let them go when you find out they are cockerels." Very irresponsible behavior. Either the bird will meet a painful death, (in that process, he may even attract predators), or he will become a disease vector, possibly traveling to a neighbors flock. In that case,he will be the "gift that keeps on giving."

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I eat mine its not worth feeding useless males that i do not need

 

[nminusyplusm]

Please do not just "let them go" if you don't want them. They can easily get wounded from a predator and suffer an extremely long, painful death. That's not fair to the bird.

Agreed, that's horrible! Where was that said? I can't even find it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agreed, that's horrible! Where was that said? I can't even find it.

just let them go after u can tell their gender

 

[ChickenCanoe]

just let them go after u can tell their gender

That may work in HI where there is forage year round, few predators and they can find the company of other feral chickens.
In most places cockerels health, let go, will quickly go downhill when they can't find enough sustenance. That is if they live more than a night or two in an environment rife with raccoons, opossum, weasels, mink, dogs, cats, not to mention bobcats, cougars, bears, wolverines, et. al..

 

[Smuvers Farm]

This is a question that needs to be satisfactorily answered before any responsible chicken owner plugs in an incubator or sets eggs to a broody hen.

I am not speaking directly to OP here, but speaking to ALL FLOCK OWNERS:

If you can't develop a responsible exit plan for all unwanted cockerels, find homes for any unwanted pullets, and cull any failure to thrive or deformed chicks, then you have no business hatching eggs. Once any bird leaves your property, it is no longer under your control. Many posters advertise: New home needed for this sweet rooster. Must be a forever home, and he can't be killed. Seriously? Why not just provide the "forever home" right where he is?

If there isn't a recent post about this, you should make one!

 

[nminusyplusm]

Thanks LG! Wow, I can't comprehend how someone would think that's a solution...

 

[oldrooster]

I have heard 4 or 5 friend of a friend type stories where someone was able to take in stray birds roosters whole flocks whatever and got several freezers full of meat some of those were supposed to be forever homes. they had a time limit on those birds and after a certain point they accidentally lost their lives due to a predator attack.