What to do about too many roos?

[aart]

I currently have 12 chickens, 6 are cockerels. How's that for luck

I have seven 9week olds, 5 are cockerels.

 

[igorsMistress]

I have seven 9week olds, 5 are cockerels.

Well that's overkill, why did you do that?

Did you hatch, buy? Do you keep a rooster in your flock?

 

[janiedoe]

@aart @igorsMistress
I have 23 9 to 10 wk olds. Only 7 are pullets. Therefore, I win! Or do I?

 

[aart]

Well that's overkill, why did you do that? View attachment 1865059

Did you hatch, buy? Do you keep a rooster in your flock?

Broody hatch, I was bummed!
....and keep worrying something will happen to one of the females and the other will be left as a single.

I have a BCM cock, broody hatched CCL eggs, so I knew ratio right away.
These young boys will be sold or eaten within the next month or so. They are just starting to get cocky, one of them was trying to crow at one week old, but not really causing much trouble, yet.

 

[aart]

@aart @igorsMistress
I have 23 9 to 10 wk olds. Only 7 are pullets. Therefore, I win! Or do I?

Yes, you do....or not.
Why'd you do that?!

 

[Ebony Rose]

Which ONE rooster you keep would depend on your future plans for your flock. Are you looking for eggs or meat? If you wish to raise chicks from your own flock for meat, pick the broadest chested cockerel as your future rooster. If you're wanting large eggs, then you need to examine all of your cockerels, measuring distance between their pelvic bones and abdomen with your fingers. More fingers = capacity for larger eggs from his offspring, and easier laying for his daughters. I'd leave your selected cockerel in with the pullets but remove the other three.

 

[Ebony Rose]

As for what to do with the other three... my vote is to send them to freezer camp.

 

[igorsMistress]

@aart @igorsMistress
I have 23 9 to 10 wk olds. Only 7 are pullets. Therefore, I win! Or do I?

Wow, that's a lot of boys!

You win!

 

[igorsMistress]

Broody hatch, I was bummed!
....and keep worrying something will happen to one of the females and the other will be left as a single.

I have a BCM cock, broody hatched CCL eggs, so I knew ratio right away.
These young boys will be sold or eaten within the next month or so. They are just starting to get cocky, one of them was trying to crow at one week old, but not really causing much trouble, yet.

In your case I would be bummed and worried too. Are you going to incubate some eggs, buy some chicks?

 

[aart]

In your case I would be bummed and worried too. Are you going to incubate some eggs, buy some chicks?

No, not this late in the season.
(but, hmmm... dangit, IM, thanks for putting that in my head! )
Kinda dropped the ball on my replacement layers regime this year, because did so last year too, had too many birds over winter because I didn't try to sell until too late. SMH.
This year incubator hatched a batch and sold as pullet chicks at local mill (males went raptor rescue) and was also able to sell 4 older pullets from last year. Did the broody hatch on a whim, because she was broody and I regretted not having any new pullets. Now I don't have 'enough'(any?) layers over the winter and am kinda reassessing my whole chicken 'program'.