Chook Me!

How can most farms have fewer roosters relative to hens?

I thought that the probability of either male or male should be 50:50 so you should have about the same number of roosters to hens. What usually happens to excess male chicks?

Public Comments

1. Biologically, you don't need a 1:1 ratio. One rooster can, if you will, "service" a lot of hens, while a hen only needs one rooster to fertilize an egg.
2. more hens = more eggs roosters arent good for eggs, only for makin them
3. its because farmers only use or pick perfect roosters so the hatchlings will be perfect too. and its because its important, i don't know why but it's just important.
4. Roosters make too much noise. They are also territorial and they fight. So most farms do not have many roosters. I came across a sign many years ago while riding my bicycle in a rural area, the sign read "free roosters." :) Roosters are probably cooked as young chickens before they mature, or they can be neutered (testes removed) to make the meat more tender. Neutered roosters are known as capons, and their meat is prized by some. Rooster meat is tough. Capon meat is more tender.
5. Chickens are polygamous so it is normal for a rooster to have several mates. By keeping the best rooster farmers would ensure quality of his future flock. Lower ranking roosters have few if any chances to mate anyway, the number one rooster will make sure of that. Excess male are kept until they are old enough to be eaten.