We've been Rooster Dumped...

Well, our 4 girls and 1 Roo are only 12 weeks old, and the coop and run is not quite finished. We have been waiting for our Golden Wyandotte Roo to crow, and our little girl has been trying to teach him. So imagine our surprise when at 5:30 AM we were rocked out of bed by a full throated crow! It took a minute to figure out that it was coming from the front of the property, and from a full grown, roo out there. We've asked around, and he doesn't seem to be be from any of the local flocks in our area. We are rural and the options aren't many. So, it seems we have been Rooster dumped. Didn't think something like that would happen, and it's a shame they didn't drop off a couple of mature layers! We could use a couple more! So, we are trying to figure out his breed. His fate is either to be culled, or there may be a local farm that will take him....although, suddenly, I am just thinking about keeping him. It's so odd that he is full grown, mature. I could see someone dropping a young pullet, just crowing, but this guy must be a year or more. So, any ideas on breed? Age? Etc.?

maybe a speckled sussex rooster? Not surprising, likely someone had this boy for a while and suddenly got in trouble for have a rooster wher ethey were not supposed to. My cousin out of state has been harboring a rooster for a year at least but knows its a matter f time before he gets caught.

Hatchery bred speckled Sussex. No clue how you'd guess his age since he's full grown. Maybe spur length?

I agree with Speckled Sussex. He's mature for sure.

Thanks ya'll. Certainly a Speckled Sussex indeed! Sounds like great breed! https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/speckled-sussex

Maybe my rooster dump was a gift! We have a lot to learn, and now, I am really leaning towards just keeping him. We aren't in a neighborhood at all. On five acres, backed up against hundreds of wild lands, scattered neighbors and farms. Houses set far apart, all lots multiple acres. The word is out that we have him, and so far, none of the local folks with birds are missing one. The homesteads on the mountain above us all aren't missing one, and the ones below us, there is a large, wide creek between, so I don't think he strayed. Most likely a dump. Oddly, our entire county is rural, so anyone with birds, can have roosters. I guess someone just got tired of him. He seems very healthy, and crows all day.

If we keep him, I have to figure out a set up. We have four hens now, and want more. One other roo, a golden wyandotte, 13 weeks, same as our hens. We let them free range. Thinking of breeding, etc, means I have to consider keeping this roo separate, and putting in hens, or, setting two separated flocks, etc. But, he is really growing on me.

So.... where are you EXACTLY? I've got a black copper marans that I've got to get rid of........ LOL

Sounds like time to buy some Speckled Sussex hens.

This is my problem, too, when it comes to keeping more than one roo! They really do grow on you. I have one buff orp who lives alone, and I really don't recommend this. He's lonely and too much work for for only one bird. The best thing would be to take sourland's advice and get more hens and another coop, as long as you don't mind But then you have more hens and more work, so that's a bigger descision. What breed are the hens you have now?

Our current flock. All 13 weeks old. Two white leghorn hens. Two Golden Wyandotte Hens. One Golden Wyandotte Roo.

We aren't hung up on pure breeds, and a back yard mutt flock is fine with us. So if this guy works out and we can just add in the genetic diversity, especially as the Speckled Sussex seems like such a good breed, we would be fine with that.

Now this guy, who, upon review of spur length, and trying to learn all this, it seems he may be younger than I thought. He seemed very large, and very mature. I was misunderstanding that they get such huge wattles and combs so young. He may only be 1 year old, and since no one has come forward about missing a bird, we have most likely been dumped. Jerks.

Here are his spurs:

Too many people know I have chickens and i'm in a convenient place for a drive-by dump so I have gotten a some roosters this way. We feed them, make sure they are healthy and eat them. A few times we have rehomed them responsibly. Its a really "different" gift but maybe a good direction for you to go with a flock.