I have just gone through this. I'm a newbie, got my first day old pullets last spring. One grew up to be a rooster, a BIG and sometimes mean one. I never wanted a rooster, which is why I bought pullets... but there he was. After a bad attack where he drew lots of blood on me, and observing he was sometimes getting rough with the hens, I knew he'd have to go but was torn. It wasn't his fault he was a roo. Then a hen went broody. She hatched 3 cute lil chicks and took great care of them for a month, then weaned them. By six weeks I was concerned that I had a baby roo-- but figured he would replace the older one who was going to have to leave. (His aggression to me was managed by me carrying a stick for protection every time I entered their pen or coop.) Then I got more worried, that maybe two of the three chicks were male. It turned out all three were roos.
By 12 weeks, they were crowing. They were not integrated to the flock. One was mean as the devil and would attack hens, running up behind them and grabbing their necks. The other two hung out together, but were starting to fight. This is not what I envisioned when I came home with 8 tiny chicks who were going to be pampered hens, that layed pretty eggs for me.
I was really torn, but I made arrangements to give them to friends. He's a vet, and was raised in a family that raised chickens, and he promised the end would be as humane as possible. I was wracked with doubt-- should I spare the two that were not problems (yet)? Should I spare one? How would I chose who to spare? In the end, I felt that it was best to send them all since it was likely that sparing one or two just delayed the inevitable.
They came for them last night, just after dark. I had hoped we'd quietly catch them, cage them, very calm and quiet. Unfortunately my friend missed the first chance to capture the big roo, which resulted in some turmoil and flailing-- probably more upsetting to me than the chickens. Once they were caged, they immediately lay down calmly. I was worried one of the lil roos was hurt, because he was laying on his side, but he must have just been scared, he righted himself. It was a horrible night and I felt like a horrible person. Intellectually I know my hens will have less stress, will grow back their missing feathers. I will enjoy being able to go into the pen or the coop without carrying a stick and feeling nervous. But OMG, I will NEVER EVER let a broodie hatch again. She's broody again right now, has been so for weeks-- but no way. Not only am I unable to consider eating something I raised and cared for daily, it is hard to give them to someone else to eat.
I guess I am not a real chicken person. I would happily choose to eat chickens raised like mine are-- but not ones I've met. And it's not easy to raise them and send them off to their death either. At least not for me.
By 12 weeks, they were crowing. They were not integrated to the flock. One was mean as the devil and would attack hens, running up behind them and grabbing their necks. The other two hung out together, but were starting to fight. This is not what I envisioned when I came home with 8 tiny chicks who were going to be pampered hens, that layed pretty eggs for me.
I was really torn, but I made arrangements to give them to friends. He's a vet, and was raised in a family that raised chickens, and he promised the end would be as humane as possible. I was wracked with doubt-- should I spare the two that were not problems (yet)? Should I spare one? How would I chose who to spare? In the end, I felt that it was best to send them all since it was likely that sparing one or two just delayed the inevitable.
They came for them last night, just after dark. I had hoped we'd quietly catch them, cage them, very calm and quiet. Unfortunately my friend missed the first chance to capture the big roo, which resulted in some turmoil and flailing-- probably more upsetting to me than the chickens. Once they were caged, they immediately lay down calmly. I was worried one of the lil roos was hurt, because he was laying on his side, but he must have just been scared, he righted himself. It was a horrible night and I felt like a horrible person. Intellectually I know my hens will have less stress, will grow back their missing feathers. I will enjoy being able to go into the pen or the coop without carrying a stick and feeling nervous. But OMG, I will NEVER EVER let a broodie hatch again. She's broody again right now, has been so for weeks-- but no way. Not only am I unable to consider eating something I raised and cared for daily, it is hard to give them to someone else to eat.
I guess I am not a real chicken person. I would happily choose to eat chickens raised like mine are-- but not ones I've met. And it's not easy to raise them and send them off to their death either. At least not for me.
