Those little floofs grow up fast, don't they? You're looking in on your crew, and that's when you see it. It seemed to appear overnight... It can't be! But it is. The dreaded pink comb. You've got a cockerel!
With hatcheries typically offering around 90% accuracy with vent sexing, and with how rewarding it is to hatch or work with broodies, chances are you will end up with some male chickens that you don't know what to do with. And maybe your cockerel is showing some good potential traits and you would rather see them with a flock. Maybe it is a breed that makes no sense to slaughter for food. Maybe you just cannot keep a rooster. Either way, it is time to find that boy a home, before he starts waking up your grumpy neighbor next door by crowing at 4:45 AM.
I have been in the same position a number of times, and had good luck finding new homes, so I decided to write up this info that I have collected thus far for folks who could benefit from it.
Please let me know your thoughts and additions. Did you successfully re-home a cockerel at your yard sale? Give one away as a prize at the local disco-dance competition? Do a reverse raffle, where you paid the contestants $1-5 and the unlucky one had to take him home? I am hoping we can add every success story we have to this collection. Gotta find those little guys a home, right?
So without further ado, here is a list of methods that I have found success with, or have heard of others finding so. Some of these might seem redundant, but I think that sometimes the shock and overwhelm of your first cockerel can limit your sensibilities temporarily, so I am listing even the most seemingly obvious.
Methods for Re-homing
-Craigslist- One of the good things about craigslist is that it is widespread. You may want to meet the person in a public place so you are sure that in the rare case the stranger has ill intentions they don't know where you live or raise chickens. If you are new to craigslist, there is an article about using it here- https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-post-on-craigslist.76257/.
-Neighborhood Forum- Many towns in my state have a neighborhood forum that local people can post on. It is worth an internet search to see if there is one in your area. Just type in "neighborhood forum in _" then where you live. There is also a website called Nextdoor.com that has been trying to provide that service to communities in the US. You can also check on there to see if folks in your town or city are using it.
-BYC!- Yes, there is a specific place on BYC to post birds that need a new home. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/animals-in-need-of-free-re-homing.16182/. You can also post on your state/country thread to find folks near you that could give your cockerel a new home. To find your state thread click the following link and then click on "Find Your State's or Country's Thread" - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/where-am-i-where-are-you.26/
-Chicken Groups on Facebook- I don't have any experience with this myself, but have heard of others having success with it.
-Animal Sanctuary- It might be worth doing some research to see if there is one of these in your area. They are organizations set up to help out animals that don't have homes. Many of them are able to take on roosters, or have a bachelor flock that your little guy could be a new member of.
-Flyers- This is becoming an old-school method of sorts, but a cute, funny flyer at the local post office or feed store might be just the ticket to your cockerel's new home.
Other Considerations
-If your rooster is purebred (even just hatchery quality) you will most likely be able to re-home it with more ease. Often folks will want a specific breed of rooster so that they can breed certain traits into their flock, or have purebred offspring with one of their hens. It can also be helpful to list those great traits your cockerel's breed has in your ad about him. If your boy is a cross, it is helpful to know and list what breed his parents were.
-You can ask for money, but that might need to be relinquished in order to get someone to take him home. I always say in my posts that I would accept donations, just for feeding him thus far. Folks typically gave me $5-10 if he was valuable to them. It may be better to expect no money, though.
-Someone on a BYC thread suggested to sell the cockerel with a pullet of the same breed as a unit to provide a breeding pair. Such a good idea! (I am so sorry I forgot your username, person/people who posted that, but I am so grateful for your great idea.)
-If you know that you could never have a rooster with your flock, you may like to only procure birds that are either auto-sexing, or sex-linked. They are birds that can have their sex determined at hatch, so you are much less likely to end up with a surprise rooster.
-If you would rather not have your boy become someone's dinner, it is good to say so outright in your post.
-Still, even if someone gives your cockerel a home, it is good to mutually understand that if the cockerel become aggressive in the future that culling may be necessary. I always say that an aggressive rooster can't be fully enjoying their life, either way, and that any length of the happy life they can get is better than nothing. In the end, culling may be the best way to protect the adults and children there from the bodily harm that aggressive roosters can cause.
-I also invite people who are on the fence, and able, to open their homes to a cockerel. I have loved all of the ones I have had, and there are some great boys out there. And if it doesn't work out, you can always re-home him!
Thanks everyone! Please leave comments below.
