Am I a bad person?

[Bawkadoodledoo]

I capture my roos at sunset and put them in milk crates in a corner so they can't get at the hens. you know how small milk crates are, but i let them out in the morn. overbreeders go on the bottom because they re MEAN!

 

[MissPrissy]

no better treatment than a battery hen :|

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

but that's the thing, they're out at day and in crates at night.

 

[Nichole77]

Aren't they with the hens all day? Does that even serve a purpose to keep them away? you must be very athletic after all that capturing.

 

[Stormhorse23]

i think its ok

 

[Katy]

I guess my question to you would be....do you think you could rest very well if someone made you sleep scrunched in a baby crib all night?

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

well, i want the hens to have a good sleep and not be constantly grabbed by men! i have way too many roosters and keep some of the aggressive ones in carriers during the day.

Edited to add: the crates are big enough to permit them to get up full height and turn around, but the holes aren't big enough for them to harm themselves.

 

[Katy]

My chickens roost and sleep all night.....If you have too many roos maybe you should consider getting rid of some.

 

[speckledhen]

Hmm, I've had to separate my main flock rooster due to hens pecking a wattle/comb injury he had and so he spends his nights away from the girls. At night they usually just roost, so very little, if any mating ever took place overnight. When I get him and put him in with them in the morning first thing and let them all out to range, he is ten times more frisky than normal after his separation. In fact, more hens than ever now have fertile eggs so it helped the fertility around here. I think your strategy may have the opposite effect than you want. If you have more than one rooster for every 8-10 hens, you probably should get rid of some boys.

 

[hinkjc]

I agree that typically chickens roost and sleep at night, as I know all of mine do. How is it that your roosters are mating all night? Do they have light? If so, I would just turn off the light and let them roost like a chicken should. I don't see the benefit or purpose of crating them only to let them back out with the hens in the morning. Maybe you should consider a bachelor coop. This way you can keep all your roos separate and they can still sleep comfortably and the hens can do their own thing.

Jody