What to do with too many roosters?

horsepowerhaven

In the Brooder
10 Years
Dec 20, 2009
65
1
39
Queen Creek, Arizona
I have a 2 year old Americana rooster that is beautiful, very loud, takes excellent care of his ladies but can be mean with people other than me. I really love "Chester" and he does take wonderful care of his flock.
My 2nd rooster is a 10 month old Buff Orpington that was sexed as a hen. "Peep" was raised by me with two other hens. I wasn't sure if Peep was a roo or not but he is now in full roo form. Peep and Chester do not fight at all, but Peep is relentless with his loving on my hens to the point of driving them nuts and causing Chester to intervene when he hears one of his hens screaming for help.
My 3rd rooster is a 4 month old Barred Rock that was a group of chicks that were not sexed. I have 5 other 4 month old chicks that I'm hoping are all hens. The Barred Rock is the only one who is obviously a roo at this point.
Peep is not only too loving with my 7 adult hens, he is really mean to the young chicks. The chicks have their own coop but I let everyone free range during the day. The chicks do their best to avoid the adult hens at this point.
What rooster do I get rid of or do I get rid of both Peep and the Barred Rock?
Some say Peep should end up on the dinner table but he is beautiful and he would make some nice babies that would be great egg layers. I also have a Buff Orpington hen that would be great for them to have chicks.
I'd like to continue to grow my flock and I need help knowing what to do with my Roos...
Help
 
1. Place a craigslist ad for the roosters. Mention the possibility of breeding and be ready for the possibility of a Sandra Lee tablescape.
2. If someone still does not want it, it was probably not going to find a home that's going to be good for it. It's most likely time to make him into a nice hot roast. One of the members here said something to me that made me think differently, "Just think of it as being wrapped in nicer packaging!" See, your chicken is SO delicious, it comes in the extra fancy wrappers!
 
I would like to know the same thing. Do you all get them slaughtered (or do it yourself) and put them on the dinner table? If so, how old are they before this is done, and any specific size?
 
JustAChickenLittle&More :

I would like to know the same thing. Do you all get them slaughtered (or do it yourself) and put them on the dinner table? If so, how old are they before this is done, and any specific size?

You can find someone to do it for a small fee or do it yourself. They can be any age, but younger is better/less tough. The best age is usually the day they crow, in my opinion.​
 
When the boys are young they can be a bit much. As they mature they usually settle down.

I have several roos here and they learn to get along. Occasional squabble but no real fights.

I feel that they deserve a life and I have the room and ability to care for them.

Guess I have a soft spot for them! Especially the banties.....
 
JustAChickenLittle&More :

I would like to know the same thing. Do you all get them slaughtered (or do it yourself) and put them on the dinner table? If so, how old are they before this is done, and any specific size?

I just butchered two roosters that were about seven months old cuz I didn't want them for my breeding program. After skinning and cleaning they were each about 3.5 lbs. We put one in the crockpot and one in the freezer. The one in the crockpot was very good and probably would have been fine in the oven too.​
 
we usually process or own but have never skinned them so if you wouldn't mind Noncentzer how bout some instructions on skinning we just do it the old fashion why by plucking.
 
frow.gif
To "peep" and the barred rock. The hens will thank you.
 
Quote:
Hmmm, not sure how to give instructions on it since this was my first time and not sure this is the appropriate thread for it and don't want to offend the OP or steal the thread...

john

ETA: I found this thread here on the site, if references a good youtube video on skinning, I personally have not seen it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=430942
 
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I eat my extra roosters, even if they are rare breeds. I keep Copper Black Marans, Blue/Black Orpingtons, Lavender Orpingtons, Ameraucanas, EE's, Mottled Javas, Jersey Giants, (BBS) Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, Dark Brahmas, Mille Fleur Cochins, Dark Cornish Bantam, Silkies/Showgirls, and almost all of my extra roosters I grow out go in the freezer. Some I eat, some I feed to the dogs. (I also raise toy and mini poodles.) If anyone wants one of my roosters, they are often given away or sold for a very low price, like $10-20, but I don't go out of my way to sell them. It took me a couple of years to get around to actually processing them myself, but once you get the hang of it it really is nice to have meat "on the hoof" for whenever you are ready for it, that you know is cruelty free, well raised, healthy, and you can feel them to know if they are ready to butcher or not. Sometimes I harvest them pretty young, well before crowing, if I just need them out of the pens. Sometimes I wait until they are a year, year and a half old, to really evaluate what they are producing in the breeding pens, or how they finally mature out.
 

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