How do you part with your cockerels

[Sandrine]

I have 9 chicks - 4 are 3½weeks and 5 are 1 week or so old. I've established that at least 5 are female, 2 are boys and the other I can't quite be sure.
But anyway, should I wait to have them culled or should I part with them now?
I can't keep them because we already have one and the noise will be too much of a nuisance.
My colleague who's already helped me out with one before (I can't do it), has offered again. I know they will end up in his oven afterwards. So I don't know whether to tell him he can have the first 2 now and he can raise them until they've reached maturity if he wants to, or what....

And there's also the question of... What if I'm wrong and they're girls?

 

[Marigold]

I think that anyone who hatches any kind of poultry has to be aware that there will be surplus males to dispose of, that it is highly unlikely that good pet or breeding homes will be found for them, and that it will become impossible to keep them to adulthood because of noise and because they will fight. Consequently, I think you’re very lucky to have someone who will help you out and also make good use of them. That is their traditional fate, after all. If he takes them now and grows them on a bit, he will be able to see if any turn out to be hens, and perhaps you might agree that he could either keep them for eggs, so you wouldn’t have to feel they had been killed unnecessarily, or give them back to you.

 

[Sandrine]

Hi Marigold
My post meant to be titled "when do you part with your cockerels" not "how". I have only just realised this.
I was fully aware, before hatching, that out of the hatched eggs some were going to be male and that I wouldn't be able to keep them. I have only managed to keep my current cockerel because Peckford (his dad) had become poorly and since then had stopped crowing. Although it seemed he had recovered he went down hill rapidly again. Punkie was still only young but took over the "household" quite nicely and is every bit of a gentleman his dad was.
I know of a place that will on occasion take rooster, they took my 2 CPQ roosters. But obviously at the minute it's more difficult.
But no, I am quite ok with having my colleague cull them as neither myself nor my husband feel we can do it - mostly because we've never done it before and wouldn't want our lack of experience end in a bad cull for the bird, if you know what I mean. Besides I wouldn't know what to do with them afterwards.
So I agree with you and I feel very grateful for my colleague's help. He hunts pheasants and whatever other birds... So I would like to think that he knows what he's doing.
And yes, now that you mention it he would no doubt send any hens back my way if I happened to have made a mistake... I do give him eggs every now and again and I don't think he would be interested in keeping chickens himself.
Thank you for your advice once again I just love this great forum