Evil Rooster

[hatcherkid777]

should i just set him free in the wild?

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a whole lot of things wrong about releasing domesticated animals into the wild. Even if they can manage to stay alive for a while, they upset the ecosystem. To me, releasing a domesticated animal into the wild is not at all acceptable and probably illegal as well.

You have yourself a problem. The more restrictions you put on the possible solutions the harder it is to get out of that problem. My suggestion is to put an ad on Craigslist that you have a free rooster. Don’t say free to a good home or anything like that. The fewer restrictions you put on it the more likely someone will take him. If he is a specific breed, mention that.

Realize that whoever gets him will probably eat him. Once you give him away you are no longer in control. To me, the quick painless death he will likely get is a lot kinder than letting him loose in the wild, plus he will have a purpose, feeding a family.

 

[AmericanMom]

should i just set him free in the wild?

Would you let a domesticated dog loose in the wild? Responsible animal owners take care of the animal, be it giving it away or culling it ( I have done both) They don't dump it off on the corner and drive away. When you took this animal you also took on the responsibility for its care.. Maybe next time you will give more thought into just taking an animal.. I know I am probably being mean but you have painted yourself into a corner with the restrictions you have placed upon yourself.

 

[donrae]

should i just set him free in the wild?

Absolutely not. When you took him, you become responsible for him. That's the worst way out of your situation for the bird. It may be easier for you, but when you become responsible for another creature, you do what's best for them. What's best for this rooster may be a quick, humane death. If you can't do it, advertise him with full disclosure, or find someone to dispatch him for you.

 

[keesmom]

This is a post from the NH thread. Are you near Quechee VT? You could donate him.

Thought I'd post this here, in case anyone can help out!

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is a raptor rehabilitation center in Quechee, VT. They take in hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, etc. that have been injured (usually through interactions with humans, like car accidents or gunshot wounds) and take care of them until they are able to return to the wild. The few that are too badly injured to be released again become permanent residents at VINS. As you can imagine, feeding the raptors can be expensive. VINS relies partly on donations of live animals like chickens and rabbits from community farmers and breeders in order to feed the raptors. I often take my extra roosters to VINS as donations for the raptors. The donated animals die a humane death (they are euthanized in a CO2 chamber - they do NOT get fed to the raptors while still alive) and you get a form that declares the animals a charitable donation, if you would like to deduct it on your taxes.

Well, Sara at VINS emailed me today to ask if I had any chickens available because they are desperately low on food for the raptors right now. I will be taking her whatever extra I have, but I also offered to post here on BYC about their need, in case anyone else would like to help. Personally, I find it very helpful sometimes to be able to take my extra birds to VINS. I know that many of you would never dream of eating your chickens, but I also know many of you are breeders like me, and you probably are all too familiar with having too many extra roosters around, or old hens that should be retired. Yes, I can always process extra roosters myself, and I do when I can. But sometimes it's just easier to take them to VINS, and I know the raptors always need to eat! If you have any extra birds (or rabbits - I know many of you breed rabbits as well!) that you could share with VINS, Sara would love to hear from you right away.

Here are their only requirements:
No sick birds, no internal/external parasites
No medicated birds (including medicated feed like chick starter)

If you can help, or if you have any questions, please email Sara at [email protected] and she can arrange a time for you to drop of donations! Thanks!

 

[donrae]

This is a post from the NH thread. Are you near Quechee VT? You could donate him.

Thought I'd post this here, in case anyone can help out!

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is a raptor rehabilitation center in Quechee, VT. They take in hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, etc. that have been injured (usually through interactions with humans, like car accidents or gunshot wounds) and take care of them until they are able to return to the wild. The few that are too badly injured to be released again become permanent residents at VINS. As you can imagine, feeding the raptors can be expensive. VINS relies partly on donations of live animals like chickens and rabbits from community farmers and breeders in order to feed the raptors. I often take my extra roosters to VINS as donations for the raptors. The donated animals die a humane death (they are euthanized in a CO2 chamber - they do NOT get fed to the raptors while still alive) and you get a form that declares the animals a charitable donation, if you would like to deduct it on your taxes.

Well, Sara at VINS emailed me today to ask if I had any chickens available because they are desperately low on food for the raptors right now. I will be taking her whatever extra I have, but I also offered to post here on BYC about their need, in case anyone else would like to help. Personally, I find it very helpful sometimes to be able to take my extra birds to VINS. I know that many of you would never dream of eating your chickens, but I also know many of you are breeders like me, and you probably are all too familiar with having too many extra roosters around, or old hens that should be retired. Yes, I can always process extra roosters myself, and I do when I can. But sometimes it's just easier to take them to VINS, and I know the raptors always need to eat! If you have any extra birds (or rabbits - I know many of you breed rabbits as well!) that you could share with VINS, Sara would love to hear from you right away.

Here are their only requirements:
No sick birds, no internal/external parasites
No medicated birds (including medicated feed like chick starter)

If you can help, or if you have any questions, please email Sara at [email protected] and she can arrange a time for you to drop of donations! Thanks!

I think a lot of folks should keep wildlife rehab facilities in mind for getting rid of extra birds. That's where I plan to send my male sex links. I researched the CO2 and it seems the best way to go.

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

Craigslist is the way to go like everyone is saying.... I've had neighbors find someone had tossed some chickens over their fence, because they have chickens.
A friend of mine told me about a neighbor of hers who's boyfriend took her silkie(that was acting weird)up into the woods and let it go... ???? i could go on and on...
Craigslist people! Good luck

 

[Melabella]

Craigslist is the way to go like everyone is saying.... I've had neighbors find someone had tossed some chickens over their fence, because they have chickens.
A friend of mine told me about a neighbor of hers who's boyfriend took her silkie(that was acting weird)up into the woods and let it go... ???? i could go on and on...
Craigslist people! Good luck

Just be careful with Craigstist. In my area,, ,undesirables were answering all the unwanted Roo ads, free to good home, or minimal fee, and they were being used for a fighting ring that got busted up here by the local police. I would never post for free, it attracts stuff like this. I know even with this knowledge,, it would be hard to police.. I mean, what do you do... ask someone if they plan of fighting your carefully raised cockrel? lol... Oh No Mam, I would never do that. Sure you would. And before you go stereotyping... the leaders of this ring, where High School kid who had just graduated! There was gambling going on too! Craziness!

Thank you so much for the post Keesmom about the information about the VINS need. I have several hatches coming in the future, and if I can't find homes for the roos, this could be a last resort I guess. I wouldn't mind helping out an Institute that is helping wildlife. I live in New York, and so that is certainly within reach. Much appreciated.

MB

 

[Melabella]

Oh, one more thing though on the subject of mean roosters. DON"T WASTE YOUR TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I ordered my first little flock of 10 females from Meyer, who guarantees a 90%sexing rate, that is exactly what I got. 9 girls and one mis sexed Columbian Wyandotte roo. I could tell right away, he was different, and I just assumed he was the bossy, leader of the pecking order girl. Well 8 weeks later and a comb starting to develop, I realized he was a roo. I actually got used to the idea, as I had intended on free ranging my flock. I learned very quickly of the benefits of having a rooster. He doted on his girls, broke up their squabbles, and sounded the alarm regularly. Then just about over a year, he started torturing them while mating, staying atop them longer,, ripping out feathers behind their combs, they had no back feathers to speak of, then,, he started following me as I turned my back to walk away,, slowly at first,, then running. I turned to the peeps here, read hours of threads about dominating, taming and befriending a mean rooster. I carried a stick, and every time I had a "schooling session" I thought... ok this time he gets it, and the next day we were right back to the bullying. I put up with it because I thought "Well he is such a tough protector, he'll fight off a predetor", but then came the flogging. One day, while I was washing dishes, the flock was grazing, and I was adoring them from the kitchen window. My daughter was 200 feet away on a pogo stick on the driveway. All of a sudden I hear a shriek I never want to hear again. She was running zig sagging trying to get away from the monster, who was right on her tail flying up. By the time I got to them, she ran to me and dove into my arms, and he was flying up with his spurs at her waist height. THAT WAS IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I called my handyman who had said he would love to eat him, and we planned to take him off the roost at night, Well, whoever said that roosters are in a zombie state at night never met that son of a ITCH. The second I reached in with a towel to get him, it was game on. I wish to heck I had a video of me and my husband trying to get a hold of him and the commotion in that little 4x6 coop we have. We had a dog crate ready and we never did get our hands on him,, he just escaped out of thecoop, and flew right into the crate. Thank goodness DH had the mindset to have it open and ready. It took two days for my handiman to come and fetch him, and he crowed and crowed for two days in my barn feed room while his girls sat outside the door roaming aournd like Charlie Mansons followers Squeaky Fromm and Sandra Goode. They were like zombie chickens.. It was nuts! Funny story after he took him away. when he brought him home his wife announced.. you are not processing that thing in our yard. Well he wanted to help me out, and remembered a friend who had a huge free range egg farm with 200+ hens in a large field. He stopped by there and asked.... do you need a pain in the *** rooster who will defend some girls? She told him sure... go around back and dump him there. If he is worthy, he'll fight for a small harem and he can stay. He told me the last thing he saw in his rear view mirror as he drove away was good ol Duke sparring with another roo, and staking his claim. pain in the ars he was!

I talked with a breeder close to me who had two beautiful Ameraucanas for sale. I went and took a look and brought one home. The Manson girls were tough on him for a while.. but after a few months they got over it, and he is now a wonderful protector himself. He is polite, and even though he is not warm and fuzzy with me, he keeps a healthy distance, respects me as dominate, and also lets me pick up his girls and tend to them if I have to. Their feathers have all grown in after their molt, and life is peaceful around here as it should be. The breeder also asked me, would you ever keep an aggressive dog around, or raise it's babies? Certainly not, one would be irresponsible if they did. It's the same with roosters. Please, get rid of him in a responsible fashion, and be done with it.. and get some peace back!

Good Luck,
MB

 

[LittleRedCoop53]

I have 1 welsummer hen,& 2 golden laced wyndotte hens, i raised from chicks. Recently, i had two silver laced wyndotte hens given to me, because they were to aggressive with her other chickens...and they took over(wish i would have introduced them separately, one of them is such a bully). Wyndottes seem to be very aggressive birds.....beautiful & great layers though. So i would imagine the Roosters are super aggressive...... ?