Adding new hens

[Pequena Bandada]

Oh - I like Mrs K's idea too. As for getting rid of your roo... try Craigslist. Include a good picture of him and some details on how friendly he is. You never know who's looking for a guy for their hens.

 

[Mrs. K]

Well, really it is not that hard to cull them, I do respect your decision, but I am telling you that it is easier than you think. Change your mind set for a week or two from pet to dinner, and it really is not that hard. He has had it good so far, and who knows where you will send him. Also, if you keep in this chicken thingy, roos are an on going problem, it is great if you can take care of it.

I do know that many of you do not cull yours, and that if perfectly ok, and I hope I did not offend anyone, but I just did it and it really was not that bad.

Mrsk

 

[booker81]

Quote:
If you aren't averse to someone ELSE culling him for food, I would advertise as just free, and OK for processing.

I've apparently found a BIG niche here in MI for people who want to get rid of unwanted roosters, but don't want to process them, but are OK with someone else coming and getting them for processing. However, many ads on CraigsList say "to a good home", and usually that means no processing. I don't even bother contacting those people. The folks who contact me through my ad are like you - they need or want to get rid of roosters, but they don't want to cull them. I take the roos off their hands for free, and I get free food with a little work on my part.

Maybe update your ad to allow for someone else to come and get him and that it's ok for them to cull, you just don't want to do it. Nothing wrong with that - you get rid of your roo, and someone else gets a meal (much better than just having the vet put him to sleep.)

 

[suburban]

I advertised him on "Gum Tree" (I think it is like the Australian version of Craigslist). And a lady has offered to take him and even swap him for one of her hens. Good result for us.
I don't think I mind if someone elses culls him I just know I couldn't. I wouldn't know where to start.

 

[RainbowBirds_of_a_Feather]

Aloha,

If you get other hens it is good to have them separated so you can monitor health of the new two. I give my birds 2-3 weeks to see if there are any signs of aggressions and sickness. When it comes to type you can mix types, plus it gives you variety.

You do not need to separate the roo from the hen yet until you get your new birds. But it may be hard to find young one close to your hens age. But try to go back to the person you got them from to do an exchange/purchase if you want to get two more? It doesn't hurt to ask. Hey you can always put him on the Auction section but that is just a thought. I hope this helps and thanks for asking questions, we are all here to help.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I like the idea of getting 2 pullets for the 2 on 2 introduction.
I also hope I don't offend anyone that doesn't process. I usually admire the roosters and although processing is one of my most unpleasant tasks, I think back to why I decided to get so many birds in the first place. - More egg layers, keeping my freezer full of meat and to patronize hatcheries that are no kill facilities.
If one is able to buy only pullets - the hatchery they are from is either discounting the price of males encouraging someone else to buy them to raise for meat OR they simply pulverize the males for pet food as day-olds immediately after hatch as they are being sexed.
It is a reality of livestock - all of which are born at a 50/50 ratio for the purpose of providing human food.
Another reality of chickens is that they die, always for some reason but we often don't know why. But the fact is they die at a rate much higher than dogs and cats. If dogs died at the same rate, not very many people would have dogs as pets.
If you raise for meat, you will have provided a happy, relatively long life to an animal that would otherwise have had a much more unfortunate end. Allowing that bird to do what makes birds happy, i.e. running around your property, scratching and eating what it finds (adding to it's nutritional value) and wallowing in a dust bath; this activity makes for a healthy, stress free animal - positive Karma. And in the end it needs to be dispatched as humanely as possible.
This is the main reason my chickens don't get names.

'Fewer farmers are growing a greater number of birds under increasingly industrial conditions. The newest broiler houses hold up to 40,000 chickens, each with only .75 square feet of floor space. If this model of production continues, the future of chicken farming is stuffing ever-increasing numbers of birds into ever-decreasing space, isolating them from sunlight and fresh air and feeding them a steady diet of drugs just to keep them alive for their seven week grow out period. The other future for chicken farming is decentralization. It is many smaller farmers raising birds in a socially and ecologically sound manner, in the sunshine and on a natural diet, and with enough room to move. It is healthy birds, healthy farms and healthy communities. But it is going to take a lot of community support to get chicken farming back there. Currently, the industrial model has the upper hand and continues to expand while small, independent chicken farmers suffer from a lack of infrastructure, like rural slaughterhouses and shipping to larger markets. The only way the second vision is going to become a reality is if the consumer demands it and supports it with their buying power.'
ref. http://angelatunner.com/meet-a-farmer-joya-parsons-chicken-farmer/

In my humble opinion there is nothing wrong with being sensitive, on the contrary, it is an admirable quality. I think I'm sensitive, however if the chicken one consumes comes from KFC, McDonalds, Grocery Chains or wherever they sell factory raised Cornish Cross - we promote, patronize and help perpetuate the cruelty endemic to that industry. This doesn't even mention modern agriculture's movement away from genetic diversity nor the relinquishment of providing high quality nutrition for your family to a corporation whose sole motivation is profit. I know many people don't have the means or facilities to do the deed so I want to make clear I'm not passing judgement on anyone and I understand that many disagree with my direct approach with reality and I won't sway many opinions with my blunt approach, but if we believe becoming civilized means that we abdicate the provision of our food to someone willing and who needs to work for 7.25 per hour to perform an unpleasant task we are unwilling to undertake ourselves - then perhaps I'm just not yet civilized.

 

[suburban]

chickencanoe, Thank you so much for your reply. It really has given me plenty to think about.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
here is an eye opening link

http://www.cbs.com/cbs_evening_news/video/?pid=Shi3pHQjPjNGz1Mj_gftVClJaWJNuYtK&play=true&vs=Default

 

[DelcoChix]

Chickencanoe,
You put it quite well and I appreciate you're not cutting those who don't care to (or can't?) butcher the unwanted ones...I have to admit I'm one of those along with Suburban...I have no problem with anyone who is willing and able to do the deed but have learned that I am not one of those, although deep down I think I could be if I had to. When I've ended up with unwanted roos in the last two years I have given them away or sold them. If the new owners choose to send them to freezer camp, I'm fine with that. I will just try to find an alternative to killing them myself if possible.

Suburban, sounds like a great exchange--in my past experience I was just happy to relocate the unwanted guy. Best of luck.

 

[firsthouse_mp]

I agree with Mrs K. Keeping him in there does no harm at the moment until he starts crowing (still a bit of time), so go quickly and get two more! I did that and boy am I glad I did. Had three chicks, one died at day two, one is slowly emerging to be a roo. I bought two more the day after the the chick died...now I am so glad! Otherwise I would have only had one pullet. I will be re-homing the roo. Now when I introduce these three to my other hens, there will be a better chance they will not be picked on as much as if there was one lone pullet to introduce.