To Keep or not to Keep a Rooster, That is the question.

[kaumlauf]

One of my TS pullets turned out to be rooster. He's now about 1 year old, and I think he's been hurting some of my hens (19 hens). My oldest hen (about 4) was pecked on the back of her head very badly and bleeding, with the skin pulled away. She was walking around dizzily too. I was able to separate her, and she has healed nicely. She is separated, and has a little, young companion hen with her who has not pecked or bothered her. Now one of my other hens looks as if she has numerous feathers pulled away from the back of her head. Is this from the rooster mounting her and pulling on feathers with his beak to stay balanced, and on top? I do notice that when he mounts the hens, he uses his beak on the backs of their heads to steady himself. I have little experience with chickens. Is this losing of feathers entirely his doing, or are hens doing this to one another too? (pull feathers from the back of the heads of other hens). What is the advantage of keeping a rooster around? WE eat the eggs, but have no interest in hatching them. My birds have a half acre of grassy free-range, are fed and watered regularly, and have a secure coop for night time. If I were to cull him, what is the most humane way? Thanks.

 

[LaurenRitz]

This is normal, for a young cockerel still learning. Not easy to see, for all of that. If you do keep him, it will likely even out in time. The teenage learning period is always hard for young cockerels, and those around them.

If you have no interest in hatching and don't need him to protect your hens, no reason to keep him.

 

[LaFleche]

One of my TS pullets turned out to be rooster. He's now about 1 year old, and I think he's been hurting some of my hens (19 hens). My oldest hen (about 4) was pecked on the back of her head very badly and bleeding, with the skin pulled away. She was walking around dizzily too. I was able to separate her, and she has healed nicely. She is separated, and has a little, young companion hen with her who has not pecked or bothered her. Now one of my other hens looks as if she has numerous feathers pulled away from the back of her head. Is this from the rooster mounting her and pulling on feathers with his beak to stay balanced, and on top? I do notice that when he mounts the hens, he uses his beak on the backs of their heads to steady himself. I have little experience with chickens. Is this losing of feathers entirely his doing, or are hens doing this to one another too? (pull feathers from the back of the heads of other hens). What is the advantage of keeping a rooster around? WE eat the eggs, but have no interest in hatching them. My birds have a half acre of grassy free-range, are fed and watered regularly, and have a secure coop for night time. If I were to cull him, what is the most humane way? Thanks.

Some roosters/cockerels are brutes and tend to hurt the hens rather badly when mating.

Some will even kill a hen that they feel is not submissive enough.

I would send him to freezer camp.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's a fact around here, mean roosters go to drive through processing. Nice can stay. No in between.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Oh, I didn't catch that he's already a year old. I agree, freezer camp.

I use a killing cone. I have heard that cervical dislocation is quicker, but I've never tried it.

Whatever method you choose, it's a bad minute at the end of a good life.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

In addition to drive through processing (I'm so lucky to have this option just a few miles away,) If he's purebred, you can try to trade him on Craigslist... I know a breeder that will trade me for purebred roosters.

 

[kaumlauf]

This is normal, for a young cockerel still learning. Not easy to see, for all of that. If you do keep him, it will likely even out in time. The teenage learning period is always hard for young cockerels, and those around them.

If you have no interest in hatching and don't need him to protect your hens, no reason to keep him.

Just curious, in what ways does he protect the flock? Our only predators seem to be Bald Eagles and owls. If a weasel were to come through the fence during the day, would he attck it?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Is this from the rooster mounting her and pulling on feathers with his beak to stay balanced, and on top? I do notice that when he mounts the hens, he uses his beak on the backs of their heads to steady himself.

You might read this about mating. It's something I wrote several years ago. While the head grab may help him keep his balance and help him get in the right orientation, the main purpose is to tell the hen to raise her tail out of the way so he can hit the target and fertilize the eggs.


Mating Between Consenting Adults

1. The rooster dances to show his intentions. He lowers a wing and sort of sidesteps around the hen.

2. The hen squats. This gets her body on the ground so the rooster's weight goes into the ground through her body instead of just her legs. Most roosters of the same breed as the hen are heavier than the hen so the squat is nature's way of protecting her legs and joints.

3. The rooster hops on and grabs the back of her head. This head grab helps line him up right and helps him keep his balance, but the main purpose is to tell her to raise her tail up out of the way so he can hit the target. Without the head grab he would not be able to get to the target so there would be no fertile eggs.

4. The rooster touches her vent with his. That deposits the sperm. This may take a couple of seconds or may be over in a flash.

5. The rooster hops off, his part is done. The hen stands up, fluffs up her feathers, and shakes. This fluffy shake gets the sperm in a special container where it can stay viable from a week to maybe three weeks.

It doesn't always go this way between adults. Sometimes the rooster does not dance but just grabs and hops on. No harm no foul, but it shows he does not have the self-confidence he should. Sometimes the hen runs away instead of squatting. The rooster may let her go or he may give chase. If he chases the hen may squat, she just wanted to know he was serious. He may stop the chase pretty quickly and let her go. He may chase her down and force her. As long as she squats and is not injured it's all OK. Even when he forces her it is usually not very violent.

Is this losing of feathers entirely his doing, or are hens doing this to one another too? (pull feathers from the back of the heads of other hens).

Almost certainly from the rooster. Some have bad technique. Some are brutes. Some cannot win the cooperation of the hen by force of personality but have to physically force them. At one year of age he should be doing better.

What is the advantage of keeping a rooster around?

If you want fertile eggs you need a rooster. You say you don't. The "protection" discussion can get complicated. Some people believe a rooster will sacrifice his life to protect the flock and some people have had roosters die doing just that. Instead of taking on a predator many of us have seen a rooster try to lead the flock to safety instead of fighting a rearguard action. Each rooster is going to have a different personality and each circumstance is unique.

Many people would not have a flock without a rooster. Others have all-hen flocks and are very happy. It is your choice.

If I were to cull him, what is the most humane way?

Basically the way you can. There are a lot of different ways to kill him. A cone with a knife, pruning shears, or pipe cutters. A hatchet or axe and a stump. Cervical dislocation which means breaking his neck with your hands. Put him in a box and pipe car exhaust fumes in there to suffocate him. Wring his neck. There are others. What you want to avoid is to injure yourself or just injure him instead of going through with it and making a clean kill. You don't want to flinch or close your eyes at the wrong time. That's why it needs to be a way that you can.

 

[Cinnamon Roll]

It does seem like he is not the best rooster. If you decide to cull him, the broomstick method is my preferred method for cervixal dislocation. With a mature rooster you will have to pull pretty hard, it’s better to pull too hard than not hard enough.

The Broomstick Method

 

[kaumlauf]

You might read this about mating. It's something I wrote several years ago. While the head grab may help him keep his balance and help him get in the right orientation, the main purpose is to tell the hen to raise her tail out of the way so he can hit the target and fertilize the eggs.


Mating Between Consenting Adults

1. The rooster dances to show his intentions. He lowers a wing and sort of sidesteps around the hen.

2. The hen squats. This gets her body on the ground so the rooster's weight goes into the ground through her body instead of just her legs. Most roosters of the same breed as the hen are heavier than the hen so the squat is nature's way of protecting her legs and joints.

3. The rooster hops on and grabs the back of her head. This head grab helps line him up right and helps him keep his balance, but the main purpose is to tell her to raise her tail up out of the way so he can hit the target. Without the head grab he would not be able to get to the target so there would be no fertile eggs.

4. The rooster touches her vent with his. That deposits the sperm. This may take a couple of seconds or may be over in a flash.

5. The rooster hops off, his part is done. The hen stands up, fluffs up her feathers, and shakes. This fluffy shake gets the sperm in a special container where it can stay viable from a week to maybe three weeks.

It doesn't always go this way between adults. Sometimes the rooster does not dance but just grabs and hops on. No harm no foul, but it shows he does not have the self-confidence he should. Sometimes the hen runs away instead of squatting. The rooster may let her go or he may give chase. If he chases the hen may squat, she just wanted to know he was serious. He may stop the chase pretty quickly and let her go. He may chase her down and force her. As long as she squats and is not injured it's all OK. Even when he forces her it is usually not very violent.


Almost certainly from the rooster. Some have bad technique. Some are brutes. Some cannot win the cooperation of the hen by force of personality but have to physically force them. At one year of age he should be doing better.


If you want fertile eggs you need a rooster. You say you don't. The "protection" discussion can get complicated. Some people believe a rooster will sacrifice his life to protect the flock and some people have had roosters die doing just that. Instead of taking on a predator many of us have seen a rooster try to lead the flock to safety instead of fighting a rearguard action. Each rooster is going to have a different personality and each circumstance is unique.

Many people would not have a flock without a rooster. Others have all-hen flocks and are very happy. It is your choice.


Basically the way you can. There are a lot of different ways to kill him. A cone with a knife, pruning shears, or pipe cutters. A hatchet or axe and a stump. Cervical dislocation which means breaking his neck with your hands. Put him in a box and pipe car exhaust fumes in there to suffocate him. Wring his neck. There are others. What you want to avoid is to injure yourself or just injure him instead of going through with it and making a clean kill. You don't want to flinch or close your eyes at the wrong time. That's why it needs to be a way that you can.

Thank you, all that you have said has been very helpful.