what to do with male chicks?
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A bunch of us went out to St. Johns to visit Eric’s (and Ben’s) chicks. This was their second time outside and they were having a grand old time.
Question by : what to do with male chicks?
I am hoping to hatch a few eggs in a incubator and raise some chicken. The thing is i live in an urban area, so i am doing it in the backyard, thus if i get cockerels out of the eggs, they gonna be rather noisy. What should i do with the cockerels if i get them? i dont want to kill them, but neither do i want to keep them. Thanks!
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6 Responses to what to do with male chicks?
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We had the very same problem. Its easy really. If you dont want them waking everyone up early in the morning make sure that you have a good chicken coop with 12 inches per bird. Black out the window so they dont see the sun coming up and make a hell of a racket. When you get up – let them out at a decent hour… your neighbours shouldnt complain much if its a decent hour. Offereing neighbours a half a dozen eggs every few months would also help you out and keep them happy. Talk to your neighbours about it as well and offer to have children around on Sunday afternoons to learn about the chickens – you will soon have everyone looking forward to the mid morning call.
ruth
October 25, 2012 at 11:05 pm
If you know for sure they are roos at a very young age can give away or if have to waite for the crowing to begin then sell them at an auction or to other chicken lovers.Or if want give them away can also place an ad on graigs list or your local news paper to sell these birds.
COUNTRY--GIRL
October 25, 2012 at 11:29 pm
well in my opinion id stay well away from a male chick 😛 Bad experience in Thailand
tom
October 26, 2012 at 12:14 am
I would advcie you don’t hatch any eggs. You are always nearly going to get more males hatch than females. And there simple aren’t enough homes for rooster most are killed .
poodle power
October 26, 2012 at 12:16 am
Send adverts out and try to get in contact with everyone who may want a cockerel. There is nothing much else you can do.
~ Zarago ~
Zarago
October 26, 2012 at 12:30 am
The chances are you will get some cockerels in hatch of say 10 or 12 eggs, probably more cockerels than pullets, that is how it goes usually. Cockerels do not sell for much money if at all
I’m afraid so if you are not prepared to slaughter them (or have someone do it for you) then probably its best to forget the incubator and just buy some young sexed pullets about 14-16 weeks old. That way you know you are getting females. You don’t need a cockerel for them to lay eggs so why risk ending up with say 3 pullets and 9 cockerels?
I reared 13 chicks under broody hens and in an incubator last Spring and 9 of them were cockerels. We found homes for most of them but ended up dispatching and eating one of them. The year before we ended up eating 2 cockerels we couldn’t sell.
Same with our turkey poults this summer, hatched 5 using broody hens and 4 were male (they we dispatched for Christmas). I’ve been hatching chickens, ducks and turkeys for 5 years and don’t recall ever having a hatch with more females than males?
Trust Me I'm a Doctor ♥
October 26, 2012 at 12:36 am