What to do with an accidental rooster?

[rosemarythyme]

Btw, why you recommend getting sex link chicks? I now understand that chicks at a young age can't be sex'd until a few weeks.

Most chicks at hatcheries are vent sexed, which is around 85-90% accurate. Sex links can be sexed based on color, which is 100% accurate (or 99.9% as my feed store calls it). So if you must have all females and don't mind that sex linked birds have higher production over a shorter span, then that's a way to avoid accidental males.

Personally I take the good with the bad and risk the occasional cockerel. At least there's a farm here that'll take them for dinner.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I am going back to the hatchery. Here is a picture for the breeds. They got the silver laced wyandotte and Easter Egger hens correct but the other 2 was a mistake. Have you’ve ever experienced this before like expecting a hen but it’s a rooster?

He is beautiful!! I live in PA and would take him except he would have to be mailed to me
He is lovely!

 

[RedBreasted]

Even if the hatchery said that they won't have a trade for the mistaken rooster, should I go online an order a large No Crow Rooster Collar?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Even if the hatchery said that they won't have a trade for the mistaken rooster, should I go online an order a large No Crow Rooster Collar?

Don't be surprised if the hatchery won't take a "return" as it's a biosecurity risk for them. It's your call if you want to keep him or try a collar. I personally wouldn't keep an illegal bird but that's me.

 

[aart]

Don't be surprised if the hatchery won't take a "return" as it's a biosecurity risk for them. It's your call if you want to keep him or try a collar. I personally wouldn't keep an illegal bird but that's me.

I would be shocked if a commercial hatchery would take back a male.

There are more issues with male birds than just the crowing, wait until he starts trying to mate the girls. A collar is not going to curb that activity. Collars can work, but they need a lot of attention to make sure they don't hurt or kill the bird. Having him for dinner is less cruel, IMO.

Unless you're a vegan, I don't see the problem with letting someone eat him.

 

[llombardo]

I live in a area where there are homes. There are a few roosters in the area. I bought four "sexed" females and not one but two turned out to be roosters. As they got older and I got over my rooster denial, the crowing back and forth between all the roosters was pretty bad.

I did get the collars for them. It took a while to adjust them and I check them almost daily. They do work but like you I was terrified at first to use them. For my peace of mind I pull them from the coop at night when they are calm and check them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would be shocked if a commercial hatchery would take back a male.

I'm actually surprised anyone takes returns, yet from reading various posts on BYC it seems some feed stores will take them back (and some backyard breeders I guess). I would think biosecurity would be a concern no matter if it's a hatchery, a farm, a feed store. My store has a strict no return policy, I don't know if I would buy chickens from there if they accepted returns.

 

[RedBreasted]

I live in a area where there are homes. There are a few roosters in the area. I bought four "sexed" females and not one but two turned out to be roosters. As they got older and I got over my rooster denial, the crowing back and forth between all the roosters was pretty bad.

I did get the collars for them. It took a while to adjust them and I check them almost daily. They do work but like you I was terrified at first to use them. For my peace of mind I pull them from the coop at night when they are calm and check them.

I'm actually surprised anyone takes returns, yet from reading various posts on BYC it seems some feed stores will take them back (and some backyard breeders I guess). I would think biosecurity would be a concern no matter if it's a hatchery, a farm, a feed store. My store has a strict no return policy, I don't know if I would buy chickens from there if they accepted returns.

I went to the hatchery, they said that next season they will give us the Amber White hen, still unsure if it's an exchange or give us for free because of this incident but the red hen turns out to be a New Hampshire Red. They're done for this year, only turkeys left. For the rooster, they got nothing they can do only except to either eat, sell, or give it away. I'm thinking of getting the collar now, $30 doesn't seem bad and I might get the extra large version.

I live in a area where there are homes. There are a few roosters in the area. I bought four "sexed" females and not one but two turned out to be roosters. As they got older and I got over my rooster denial, the crowing back and forth between all the roosters was pretty bad.

I did get the collars for them. It took a while to adjust them and I check them almost daily. They do work but like you I was terrified at first to use them. For my peace of mind I pull them from the coop at night when they are calm and check them.

When you first got the collar, what did you do to the rooster to calm them down? Did you look after them carefully? Do you have to take it off once in a while like how many times? Do you recommend it? Thanks!

 

[llombardo]

At first I was silly and chased them around to put them on, but I soon figured out that grabbing them once they go to roost is much easier. No chasing and they are rather calm. The first week was adjusting them every night. I also checked on them in the middle of the night. Second week was checking them and making sure it was not tight. Now I check every few days. I always watch to make sure they are eating, drinking, and breathing ok. I do recommend them. They still crow but it's about 10% of the noise level it was.

 

[RedBreasted]

At first I was silly and chased them around to put them on, but I soon figured out that grabbing them once they go to roost is much easier. No chasing and they are rather calm. The first week was adjusting them every night. I also checked on them in the middle of the night. Second week was checking them and making sure it was not tight. Now I check every few days. I always watch to make sure they are eating, drinking, and breathing ok. I do recommend them. They still crow but it's about 10% of the noise level it was.

It looks like I might have to get rid of the rooster. My neighbors haven't complained yet but for me, the crowing is already becoming a nuisance. It keeps crowing around late 7 am to 9 am. Not sure about the fall but will probably be around 5-6/7 am. Anyways, looks like a rooster dinner is coming!