A CALL OUT for responsible pet ownership! Unwanted roos, ducks, etc.

[ChickenAlgebra]

My birds do not free range without an adult out with them. Not due to predators, but the kids. The roos don't mind the kids, but I am not testing that at all. A 1/4 acre run is what they get for breeding, mix time, it's a full acre. They do fine.

 

[Hinotori]

It took me thirteen years of reading, plotting, planning, talking to relatives, remembering how we did it when I was a kid, and the worst was waiting until we could move someplace and buy some land.

Our chicken plan was to have a self sustaining population for eggs, and meat. I went in to this with the knowledge that I'll be having to do the culling as my husband works to much usually. I've collected and read every book I can find. I've picked the brains of all my relatives who've raised chickens.

The chickens were animal stage one of our little homestead plan. I want sheep, too, but I have to have the fencing finished and a larger barn for them than the 3 sided shelter we have available. So next year maybe. Right now getting wood in for the winter is priority since we have no heater. So no instant gratification like many people go for. I must plan stuff out.

 

[micanopy-chick]

See I Go To An Auction Every Friday Nught And Since Febuary I Have Been Looking For A Golden Americana Rooster Everywere And Have Not Found One Yet
Everyone Tells My How Easy It Is To Find The Roos But Hard To Find The Hens Well I Got 10 Hens And No Roo

 

[DMRippy]

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I can't find that that is a real variety of Ameraucana so that may be why you can't find one. Probably you have Easter Eggers and any Easter Egger Roo would do. The fun of EE is the color variety you can get in the offspring.

Check this link out for colors in Ameraucanas (spelling is key no I)

http://www.ameraucana.org/scrapbook.html

 

[speckledhen]

Well, to state the obvious, a plan to care for any animal you want to acquire is a good and necessary thing, whether is be chickens or a dog, cat, gerbil or fish.



micanopy-chick, there isn't such a color as a Golden Ameraucana in the true breed, but if you want a certain look in an Easter Egger rooster, find a similar picture of the type coloration you mean and post it as an example of what you want in our Want to Buy section so maybe one of our members can help you with your search.

 

[coreybee]

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Agreed, provide the best care you can. The difference between cats and dogs VS Fowl.... you can eat the fowl. If you get too many chickens, off to freezer camp!!!

I've thought long and hard about this one. The bottom line is at the end of the day if you can't afford to feed them, they provide you food. If they happen to be pets and you just can't do it yourself, I'm sure there is someone out there who can, and will.

I don't see fowl as being in the same catagory as cats and dogs (even though my chickens are my pets), mostly because you can't eat your cats or dogs, and they don't make you breakfast...lol!

 

[Avalon1984]

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[Chickenaddict]

In the past when I bred and hatched chicks I had buyers for them, this year for some reason or another noone is buying a darn thing so I kept my hatches small to test the market so to speak. I was stuck with 10 roos in a flock of 37 thats too many. SO I did what I had to do and culled the extras. Knowing the breed I was working with is no longer in demand here I threw in the towel and stopped hatching. To me that is responsible. In the past if I had problems getting rid of extra roos they went to a local petting zoo (gators gotta eat too). Another option is a wolf sanctuary.

 

[yinepu]

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Actually, depending on your local laws.. you CAN eat your dogs and cats.. just ask my sister in law who is from Thailand.. she thinks they are delicious..
My husband ate dog meat when he was stationed in Korea.. he said it reminded him of pork
in the US it boils down to animal cruelty laws in different places and how they are worded..

 

[spiritdance]

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Actually, depending on your local laws.. you CAN eat your dogs and cats.. just ask my sister in law who is from Thailand.. she thinks they are delicious..
My husband ate dog meat when he was stationed in Korea.. he said it reminded him of pork
in the US it boils down to animal cruelty laws in different places and how they are worded..

I'd have to be pretty darned hungry to eat any carnivore! The potential for disease and parasite transference is much higher, and that's enough of a risk with omnivores. Ideologically, I have to say I don't get where our culture makes a "moral" distinction here. I've heard people argue it has to do with intelligence levels, but that doesn't track, given our culture's pork consumption. I can say from experience that pigs are every bit as intelligent and trainable as a dog, and they demonstrate affection as well. Just ask my DH about "Rover," the Yorkshire boar he bought to "fatten up for the freezer" ... I'm still waiting on my pork chops. And last night, he, the pig, and the Golden Retriever shared a beer while he was grilling. The pig follows him like a dog, sits when he tells him to, comes when he's called, and has even tried to get to the "fetchin' stick" before the Golden on occasion. I'm beginning to wonder if I'll ever get those chops... sigh............