What if hatch has too many roosters?

[chicklets81]

Ridgerunner,
Thanks so much for your input. Very helpful information!

I am very excited to build a 2nd coop, so I'm going to go for it anyways whether or not I need it. But I am sure I will need it come Easter hatching time!

Chickens are so much fun!

 

[lazy gardener]

lazy gardener,
you mention trying to affect gender ratio in a hatch. What exactly does that mean? Can you do something to get more females?

I have been experimenting for the last 2 years with gender selection based on egg shape. While I am using small numbers, I've found that the statistics have been fairly consistent over 3 gender selected hatches. I've increased my pullet % from 40% when setting random eggs to 60% when setting the eggs that have a larger width to length ratio. (In other words, the eggs that are more rounded, less pointed)

 

[10 acre woods]

I keep twenty layers, five BBR Phoenix hens and five Silkie hens. I also have a few BBR Old English Game bantams in the mix. I rotate out my layers every two years. My main coop is 24 x 24. My laying flock are Welsummers. Them and the Phoenix can be sexed at day old. I segregate the roosters and sell them as soon as I can. Usually within a week or two of hatching. We have a monthly poultry auction close by. I let people know they are roosters. Most of the time I only get a dollar or so per bird. It pays for some of the cost of the electric used hatching them. I keep my future breeding prospects in some of my smaller coops. I sell what I cull from them and the Silkies since I can finally tell the boys from the girls in the fall. I did pick up some pointers on telling them apart. Maybe I won't have to wait until they are crowing to be sure now. It does take some space to raise birds. Especially if you are raising more than one breed. If you don't have a reliable place to sell your extra roosters. You can always eat them. Which I sometimes do.

 

[aart]

Short answer...eat them.

I slaughter all extraneous cockerels at 13-16 weeks,
before they start causing trouble and are still tender enough for the grill.

Don't have the space, finances, or desire to grow them out.