CALIFORNIA The Whole State thread

[wolftracks]

There are mostly Games in my neighborhood and I do know that most fight them. I know too that there's a man down the street that shows, but breeds them. I've seen birds faced to show aggression and I've seen a couple of idiots fight their birds in the street, but they will also have just chickens and it seems like they don't like them without a roo. There are a lot of older men around here that have their Games, but their wives have their own chickens and when you meet people at auctions they are after the tiny birds. The smaller the better, just because they like to look at them. I have some OEGBs that are all different colors, so nothing that should be bred together. I guess anyway, but I have woman asking me if I have any of those tiny birds. The only chicks I've hatch from the girls are from a Bantam Cochin roo, but they say they don't mind the feathered feet. Extra roos are probably going to be eaten eventually, which I have never eatten one of mine, but if Ambrose doesn't get quiet I threaten to make roasted AM out of him. Doubt there'd be enough meat, but if he tastes as great as his crow is...........Thing is if a hen goes broody and a roo throws what they want to eat, then they keep those birds just like anyone else. A lot of people out here free range and if they are trying to keep a meat and egg supply they need the axtra roos due to preditors or processing. They don't often eat Game eggs. We do! But they are too valuable to them, hence the layer flocks Also, they switch out roos after they've used them for breeding as far as Games go and a lot of them end up taking them to auction. They aren't all fought. They do the same thing with regular chickens. Breed a while, switch out and sell or eat what they aren't breeding anymore. Most of them I've talked to use a roo for a month and get another one and mostly because they like to play with color..

 

[wolftracks]

I had a guy come to my house & see all my roosters (too many chicks were roosters,lol) & ask to buy all of them (about 10) even though I hadn't said I wanted to sell them.Then he pulled a box of fighting roosters out of his car! He even admitted to being involved in cock fighting.Obviously he's not getting any of my roosters but I was curious what else he could be using them for if not bait. I guess it's possible he wanted to eat them but I think he would've admitted to that. He even wanted the bantams! But I guess if they don't fight "backyard chickens" that wasn't his intention. It really riles me up that he acted like fighting roosters was acceptable!

and the California thread!

I'll add your name to the first post. Where are you located? What kind of chickens? We're glad you found us.

 

[fowlman01]

I didn't mean the roo was going to train "their" bird, only as a practice target. But that does make me feel better.

Even though that Australorp was HUGE and it took two people to go in the run to feed. About three times I grabbed him and pinned him to the ground until he calmed down. Then it took about a month before he was willing to make eye contact with me. But after the third time of holding him down failed to get permanent results, he was sold within a couple of days. They said they wanted him to put with a flock of free range hens. He was very good at taking care of his girls, so he suited their purposes and was quite handsome.

Deb

Seriously don't worry about that kind of thing. They want a target that will fight back. These guys have their own birds for this kind of "practice". Mean males seem to only stay mild for a sort time before they revert to being jerks or man fighters. It has been pretty well established that the mean behavior is genetic and can be passed on to the offspring. There aree people on BYC that claim to be able to alter this behavior, but I have never been able to do that for any length of time.

Walt

 

[fowlman01]

There are mostly Games in my neighborhood and I do know that most fight them. I know too that there's a man down the street that shows, but breeds them. I've seen birds faced to show aggression and I've seen a couple of idiots fight their birds in the street, but they will also have just chickens and it seems like they don't like them without a roo. There are a lot of older men around here that have their Games, but their wives have their own chickens and when you meet people at auctions they are after the tiny birds. The smaller the better, just because they like to look at them. I have some OEGBs that are all different colors, so nothing that should be bred together. I guess anyway, but I have woman asking me if I have any of those tiny birds. The only chicks I've hatch from the girls are from a Bantam Cochin roo, but they say they don't mind the feathered feet. Extra roos are probably going to be eaten eventually, which I have never eatten one of mine, but if Ambrose doesn't get quiet I threaten to make roasted AM out of him. Doubt there'd be enough meat, but if he tastes as great as his crow is...........Thing is if a hen goes broody and a roo throws what they want to eat, then they keep those birds just like anyone else. A lot of people out here free range and if they are trying to keep a meat and egg supply they need the axtra roos due to preditors or processing. They don't often eat Game eggs. We do! But they are too valuable to them, hence the layer flocks Also, they switch out roos after they've used them for breeding as far as Games go and a lot of them end up taking them to auction. They aren't all fought. They do the same thing with regular chickens. Breed a while, switch out and sell or eat what they aren't breeding anymore. Most of them I've talked to use a roo for a month and get another one and mostly because they like to play with color..

Since cockfighting is sometimes a cultural thing, it is pretty hard to stop it. Most of these rooster laws are really aimed at cock fighting, and we are affected by it ....not the cockfighters. It is illigal to fight birds, so they are underground and we aren't, so we get the bad side of these ordinances. They don't work. I am sometimes asked to be an expert witness in cockfighting cases ( I can do either side ahahaha). A few weeks ago I told the Alameda County DA that these laws are only hurting the backyarders and have zero effect on the cock fighters. I said "if these laws work why did you just confiscate 150 fighting birds"? Not only did they confiscate these birds the Human Society euthanized them and now they are being sued for $2million dollars. Alameda will probably lose as they were not fighting the birds when the H.S took them and killed them. I told the DA that they would lose and he said he was afraid I was right.

BTW: the counties will never admit that is the reason they have the males chicken laws or rooster crowing laws as they like to call them...but it is.

Walt

 

[liz9910]

Good morning all,

So my SLW managed to get out a "real" crow this morning, my 2 year old daughter got all excited and said "mommy mommy oooh a rooster" cock a doodle dooo! So, I'm going to see if the feed store will take him before my neighbors call the cops on me lol.

Elizabeth

 

[Disco Hen]

Any interested in some mixed sizzle chicks? (And live close to sonoma)

 

[liz9910]

I found someone willing to take the roosters. Whew.

 

[debs_flock]

Wow Kim!

You have so much drama in your life (missing chickens, non-hatching eggs, rabbit kits, self destructing freezers, light bulbs, arsonists, etc............), I'm more of a peace and quiet person (not saying you like the drama). If I were you, I'd go to more powwows, that seems to ground you and give you peace.

Deb

 

[wolftracks]

Since cockfighting is sometimes a cultural thing, it is pretty hard to stop it. Most of these rooster laws are really aimed at cock fighting, and we are affected by it ....not the cockfighters. It is illigal to fight birds, so they are underground and we aren't, so we get the bad side of these ordinances. They don't work. I am sometimes asked to be an expert witness in cockfighting cases ( I can do either side ahahaha). A few weeks ago I told the Alameda County DA that these laws are only hurting the backyarders and have zero effect on the cock fighters. I said "if these laws work why did you just confiscate 150 fighting birds"? Not only did they confiscate these birds the Human Society euthanized them and now they are being sued for $2million dollars. Alameda will probably lose as they were not fighting the birds when the H.S took them and killed them. I told the DA that they would lose and he said he was afraid I was right.

BTW: the counties will never admit that is the reason they have the males chicken laws or rooster crowing laws as they like to call them...but it is.

Walt

There used to be a building in SF where they held them and it wasn't cheap to get in. Bigger than anything they show on TV and there were people there from all over the world. It was something else. Then there was a couple not to glamorous, I guess you would say, but big. I have met a lot of fighters here and I've known more over the years. I didn't have chickens or know much about the ones I did have. They've invited me to go, but I tell them I'd name the birds and take them home. They laugh, but they also know I don't like the fights. I'm just honest with them. .But I try not to know more than they already offer and not even most of what they do. Ignorance is bliss. The people around here are just ignorant. It is cultural too, but like you said, it's also what causes the rooster laws. They have their small $200 fights or a few bucks and toss them together. I have to say though, it's more sparring when they do it. They'll scoop the birds up and do it again later. But this is what people see. If they weren't doing it, it would let people think this is normally what happens when people want to own roos. . Then there are the guys that tell me about a 10k minimum entry or prize, depending on ????? Sometimes ya know, I just shut down some of the info. Shell shocked from the 80's and problems I ran into. I prefer to remain ignorant myself. LOL But those birds I've noticed are treated exceptionally well, until they are used. Kind of like one of our roos that goes to freezer camp. "Good Boy" WHACK!

. Media has alot to do with everything.

There are NOT that many people in comparison who are true cock fighters, but simply raise the birds. And then the dorks that think tossing their 2 Stags together is OK, because it was back home. I have Games. I think they are beautiful. They just take up too much space if you have several roos. I only have 2. LOL


OK, I think the cockfighting is a no no, but not sure if it got that far. I don't know how far it goes till it's a BYC violation. I just know I didn't go to bed until 8:30 and left a note telling my daughter and grand daughter I needed sleep. I'm too tired to make sense. First Kayla wakes me up to tell me I shouldn't leave a note sticking up on the arm of a chair and then I sent her to the room so her mom could know I was tired, so my brain child comes out to ask about the fire last night. I left a list of why I needed to sleep and what I had been doing up all night. That really helped. Next note will say "I'll tell ya when I feel like it"

Oh but I did forget to mention. The ones who I've met that are really into cockfights, you'd never know they own one. They are under lock and key and in sound boxes. We may get hit with a roo ordinance, but they won't even be heard, so nothing changes for them.

 

[wolftracks]

Wow Kim!

You have so much drama in your life (missing chickens, non-hatching eggs, rabbit kits, self destructing freezers, light bulbs, arsonists, etc............), I'm more of a peace and quiet person (not saying you like the drama). If I were you, I'd go to more powwows, that seems to ground you and give you peace.

Deb

I moved out here from the Bay for less drama and noise. That didn't get to happen. Most of the places I'm finding to move to are probably as bad. I don't want to move from the ot to the fire. Gee I think there's pun there. I'd go to more Pow Wows, but most aren't close and I can affrod to travel. Plus leaving my animals makes me crazy if I have to worry about them.

I'm trying to talk myself into getting rid of some of my birds, but who? I just can't seem to want to do it. I've also thought about stopping with them all together, but again. I can't do it. If I was smart I'd stop for a year or two and rehab a house in a better area and try to sell. That used to work, but not sure now and not sure if I could do it without Bill. Still, to many places won't let me have the birds. I don't want to give them up permenantly, but I think if I got into a couple of these houses, I'd find myself right back where I am. People and drama all over. Even if they are much better neighborhoods.

I'm ot finding a win win here right now.

As for hatches, I may have another bad one, but might have a good one. More shipped eggs. 54 guineas!