What to do with Roosters?

[MungBeans]

My family and I are starting our new backyard chicken coop using the wonderful coop plans from The Garden Coop and we are worried about rooster issues. The question we have is since all of the chicks we ordered are straight run what should we do if we end up with a few roosters in the bunch?

Thanks!

 

[Illia]

Eat them, sell them, or give them away.

With the help of BYC you should have yours sexed WAY before they crow.

 

[BlueEggs4Life]

I agree, get some pics up on here asking for sexing guesses and you will have loads of resonces. They have helped me out greatly! Also, head over to youtube via this link:

and you can try to sex them yourselves via the wing method. I used it this year and was about 90% accurate when grabbing chicks out of the st run bin at Family Farm and Home.

Post unwanted roo's on Craigslist or BYC forum and someone nearby will take them off your hands. Check out BYC local threads for your area and spread the word you will have roo's available to get someone close by interested. If you ordered st run you WILL have some roo's in there. Best of luck!

 

[Keri78]

can I ask why you ordered a straight run if you didn't want more than one roo? My friend orders this way but she lets the roos grow out and then eats them. I never wanted to deal with that so I always ordered girls except when I specifically want a roo.

 

[MungBeans]

I ordered straight run pretty much because at the time I didn't really know what that meant

Also, we wanted to get Silkies and so far I haven't seen anywhere to buy just Hens. If you have some places please let me know so we can do that in the future.

Thanks and I will get some pics when the chicks arrive.

 

[trinityfly]

Hi Mungbeans

We buy sexed bantam chicks from "My Pet Chicken". Everywhere else the only options seems to be straight run. Getting rid of bantam roosters is a pain.

 

[smarsh]

you should try to figure which are roos as early as possible and sell or give them away. If you keep them, name them, you will find it hard to eat them. I found it pretty hard to kill Rufous but he got mean.

 

[imthedude]

beer can chicken sure is tasty.

 

[MungBeans]

Thanks all. I think I found a taker for my potential roos.

 

[Gonzo]

I would just assume eat them! But, My hubby and kids thinks that aweful... so I have to rehome them, Which I don't want to do.... I alway worry about someone taking them for fighting... That would be more cruel and inhuman than eating them...I prefer knowing they were treated well, etc.... I hate not knowing!