lotz2612 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 We hatched 5 boys last year...we're using them as breaders and then will sell them along with a hen at the Salisbury rare breed auction later on in the year. Just started incubating for the 1st time this year...hoping for a better result this time, but its always going to be the luck of the draw! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 i have just found a suplier of hatching eggs that will take my boys back his eggs are more expensive but its worth it as i dont have to worry about the boys anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_21 Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 well lets be fair the bloke who has the 500 acre farm does not accept any donations he lives on a working farm he also does rare breed animals such as water buffalo high land cows ect ect the place was full of all sorts of people buying chickens. he also gives away chickens to other charitys and his local schools as he feels he has to give back to the community. i can honestly say i must of only seen about 20 cockerals the whole time i was there he also works very close to charitys and the rspca finding homes for all the rescue chickens and other chickens that have been took in to him. he told me that all the rescue chickens and the chickens took to him have a home check first and he says that all his chickens find homes very quickly. i know he does breed birds for the table also. so the profits that comes from running his own farm gos towards helping the other chickens that he has took in. and if people want to hatch some eggs the so what let them they will all find homes for there boys eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 i have just found a suplier of hatching eggs that will take my boys back his eggs are more expensive but its worth it as i dont have to worry about the boys anymore Thank you, very close to where I work, I may well buy eggs instead of using my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I think it must be very hard to find homes before they hatch. A lot of people will want to see what they are getting before making such a big commitment. I have 6 eggs in an incubator atm - I don't have homes for cockerels but hope to find some when the time comes. If not I will do the deed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-real-tinkerbell Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 make sure you go in to the coffee shop and have some cake ,it is amazing ,and its next door to a little farm ,me and the kids go up quite often Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckmum6 Posted February 24, 2011 Author Share Posted February 24, 2011 The food looks fab, we will have to stop for a spot of lunch, food and chooks heaven! Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 I was just about to despatch two salmon pekins last year when I heard from a breeder that he had some pekins ready for me. I asked if he had any salmons as all my hatch had been cockerels. He said that he needed some cockerels for his breeding stock and asked if I could bring them along when I collected my girls. He was really pleased with the boys and I have visited them several times since. However, the vast majority have not been so lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Well I had a rather confusing phonecall on the weekend. OH said ' there's someone on the phone about your cockerel', I'm thinking 'uh oh, first complaint about the crowing'. Instead a young lad asks me ' what colour is your cockerel ?' I answer ' white, why?' , he says ' I've 10 layers, will he be alright with them?' It took me a good minute for the penny to drop - I'd advertised my faverolles cockerel in a shop window last september and this guy had just replied to the ad.I had to tell him Dilbert became sunday dinner long ago, YS was gutted that Dilbert could have been rehomed - albeit 5 months later than planned Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 I was hoping to give a broody hen some eggs this year (currently don't have a broody yet - typical ). I was wondering what to do with the boys. I was thinking of getting in touch with my local butcher to see if he would do the deed and prep them for me. Has anyone else gone down this route? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bronze Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 I had a guy who came and took a load of my meat birds away and did all the prep work in exchange for a couple of the males (as meat). I phoned around the butchers asking and they put me onto him. You have to make sure it's not the season for something though. I got in just before the turkeys started as that was his normal job. I normally do my own but was pregnant and after the first couple just couldn't face any more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 I am so glad I found this post. I have 12 eggs in the incubator, now if I hatch 12 hens then great I'll find homes for some of the hens but any boys I hatch will be reared for meat along with any hens I can't find homes for. I was feeling so guilty reading through some of the other threads and I was thinking I bet "Ooops, word censored!"ody on here uses their birds for meat. It was such a relief to read that some of you do. Thank you, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
