Colorado

[maggiemo]

Sorry you got a lecture. I would take them for the freezer if I was closer.
I think CSU vet tech will caponize. My chicken vet in Longmont told me they did, that is all I know.
Good luck.

 

[Wendi C]

Wendi, what I did with introductions is similar to what you are doing, but at night I placed the new "kid" in the coop after the elders had gone to roost. In the morning when I opened the coop I stood inside the run to see how things were going to go, and based on behavior I either put the new one back in his individual pen, or let him remain in the run with the others. I started this on Saturday morning so I had all weekend to observe/give him chances. If you have a lot of newbies it might not be so simple, of course, just offering it as a suggestion. Catching a terrified 11 week old pullet without help presetns a whole new challenge

I had read your post about this and was planning to do this when their size equals out, but we still have a couple weeks to go. My biggest EE is a terror so I want to make sure the younger chicks can hold there own "just in-case". I guess the human chicken shuttle will continue to operate for a few more weeks... Thanks Pozees

Wendi, do you use deep litter under the roost? The reason I ask, is I have found eggs under the roost too, this was years ago, and you don't want to have any of your hens to start eating those broken eggs!! It is a habit that is really hard to stop, once they start. I added extra straw, and only found one or two, so they get the nest box concept quickly. Here is hoping you have more eggs than you know what to do with in the next couple weeks!

I do deep litter- I don't think the eggs are breaking when they fall, but I suspect that the girls may be jumping off the roost onto them- I haven't seen any more broken eggs, but will check when I get home tonight.

Hi Wendi,

I had the same problem, my pullets were laying eggs from the roost and I also had several shelless eggs.

I took my roosts down and put golf balls in the nesting boxes; I put a container of oyster shell by their feed and I also crush their egg shells and give them back to the girls to eat.

Once I saw a steady pattern of the girls laying their eggs in the nesting box, I put the roosts back up and haven't had a problem with shelless eggs or where/how they lay...the eggs are always in the nesting box now

Chook Chick, I had a really hard time getting them to roost (they wanted to sleep in a pile) and I don't want them to sleep in the nesting box- so I really don't want to take out the roost

... I've been sprinkling oyster shells daily, but will offer a side bowl all the time to see if that helps.

Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[Denverchickee]

Hi friends!!

Hope all is well with y'all!

Still waiting on my newbies to lay their eggs. I think my Blue girl sorta did a squat the other day and she is loud as ever, but she is just not coming on with eggs!
And if my Egyptian if her comb gets anymore red it looks like its blood red. She is also loud.
Last week had a drop in egg production, thought if I got rid of that Roo and free up space it would get better. (Shrugging my shoulders)

 

[Mtn Margie]

He's also getting a bit rough on the girls, he's torn up one hen's wattle AND comb!

I am not sure that caponizing at this point would change established behavior. If you geld a stud, he still has stallion behavior (reduced a bit), he just can't produce offspring. Same with bulls, dogs etc. I don't know if it would be all that different in birds. Your best bet, in my opinion, is to have someone who is experienced in processing help you learn and that way, the next time a roo shows up, you won't be stressing over your options and your will gain confidence with your knowledge.

 

[Chook Chick]

I don't know anyone who does caponizing, although there is a thread here started by Kassaundra with a lot of pictures showing how she learned. I would be afraid to do it myself, it looks a little too delicate for me, but anyone with a little experience with a scalpel could probably do it easily.

I'm sorry you got a lecture. If you are willing to cull, you may have to try again after you sharpen your knife. Meantime, do whatever you can to correct his aggression. Carry a stick to keep him away from you. This behavior is really the main reason he should be culled, even more than violation of the law.

Hatching eggs will always produce males. Maybe you can find someone who would like any males for the freezer in any future hatches, if there are to be any. Pre-arranging might ease the stress. If you can work with someone who will take all males at a certain age, say 8 or 10 weeks, as long as you are hatching breeds that produce enough meat to make a meal by that age or shortly after, and work out when they will be able to take them, you can hatch to your heart's content. Pre-planning is the key.

I absolutely agree with you on this; I think many new chicken owners don't think about these kinds of things, I know I didn't. Especially now that folks can have chickens in the city limits and suburban area like where I live, you're so excited to have your chickens and wrapped up in the new experiences of hatching eggs, etc., you just don't think of "what if".....and no one wants the roosters! People are just starting to turn them loose to fend for themselves, and that is really sad in my opinion. I have started to carry a stick with me when outside. I am also going to set him up in his own space (which I'm sure he won't like since he's used to being with the girls and driving them crazy) but it's just going to have to be that way until I can cull him myself or find someone to caponize. I'm too shaky these days to try and do it myself, plus my eyesight is not so great either.
I have very good neighbors, they hear him crow ofcourse but don't mind it a bit; I just hate to cull, he was my first hatched

but I can't have him attacking me or anyone else. I don't have to worry about strange people coming into the yard or even squirrels ruining my garden...the girls run off any four legged critters that venture into the yard, and he takes care of any people!

I know he's just pretty much doing what roosters do, and if it was just me I could probably deal with it (my left arm has recovered) but with the grandbabies and him ripping the girls up, that's just something I can't have....I hate to separate him, he's grown up with the flock, and I know chickens are social creatures, but I think it's just going to have to be. I have honestly tried to find someone to take him. I even contacted a so-called "Rooster Sanctuary" which is supposed to take roosters to keep them from being abused or culled.....that's where I received my lecture....and then being told they were full.

The local humane society just euthanizes them so they end up dead anyway. No wonder people are turning them loose. I'd really like to hear from others as to what they've done with their roosters. I'm buying a hatchet and going to have it professionally sharpened this coming weekend.

Thanks Pozees....and just FYI, my first 3 girls, which I got from you, are doing beautifully!

 

[Chook Chick]

I am not sure that caponizing at this point would change established behavior. If you geld a stud, he still has stallion behavior (reduced a bit), he just can't produce offspring. Same with bulls, dogs etc. I don't know if it would be all that different in birds. Your best bet, in my opinion, is to have someone who is experienced in processing help you learn and that way, the next time a roo shows up, you won't be stressing over your options and your will gain confidence with your knowledge.

Thanks for the info....I can cull him, I know what to do, I again, wasn't prepared physically (extremely sharp knife) or mentally for it. I had my stock pot boiling and ready to go. I didn't realize how thick the hackle feathers are either. That's why I'm going to separate him and buy a professionally sharpened hatchet this weekend. My son said he's help me catch him....I can do the rest.

 

[Chook Chick]

I had read your post about this and was planning to do this when their size equals out, but we still have a couple weeks to go. My biggest EE is a terror so I want to make sure the younger chicks can hold there own "just in-case". I guess the human chicken shuttle will continue to operate for a few more weeks... Thanks Pozees

I do deep litter- I don't think the eggs are breaking when they fall, but I suspect that the girls may be jumping off the roost onto them- I haven't seen any more broken eggs, but will check when I get home tonight.

Chook Chick, I had a really hard time getting them to roost (they wanted to sleep in a pile) and I don't want them to sleep in the nesting box- so I really don't want to take out the roost

... I've been sprinkling oyster shells daily, but will offer a side bowl all the time to see if that helps.

Thanks everyone for the help!

I totally understand. Mine took to roosting right away, they just kept laying from the roost (I actually had to catch a couple of eggs!!) and then I found someone had been eating the cracked eggs. I wanted to discourage that behavior immediately! That's when I took down the roosts and put golf balls in the nesting boxes....within a week they were laying in the boxes, they didn't sleep in them, and several problems were taken care of with one action. My girls don't really care for the oyster shell too much, I still have the side dish by their food and they peck at it once in awhile, but they seem to like their crushed egg shells just fine. Hope it all works out for you!

 

[Chook Chick]

Sorry you got a lecture. I would take them for the freezer if I was closer.
I think CSU vet tech will caponize. My chicken vet in Longmont told me they did, that is all I know.
Good luck.

I'm sorry I got a lecture too!! It really ticked me off

I will have to check into the CSU vet tech.....so there are vets that will see chickens!

Thanks for the info.

I am also going to try and seek out information at the Colorado State Fair, perhaps I can find out more.....!

 

[elbertchick]

I am not sure that caponizing at this point would change established behavior.  If you geld a stud, he still has stallion behavior (reduced a bit), he just can't produce offspring.  Same with bulls, dogs etc.  I don't know if it would be all that different in birds.  Your best bet, in my opinion, is to have someone who is experienced in processing help you learn and that way, the next time a roo shows up, you won't be stressing over your options and your will gain confidence with your knowledge. 

Thanks for the info....I can cull him, I know what to do, I again, wasn't prepared physically (extremely sharp knife) or mentally for it. I had my stock pot boiling and ready to go. I didn't realize how thick the hackle feathers are either. That's why I'm going to separate him and buy a professionally sharpened hatchet this weekend. My son said he's help me catch him....I can do the rest.

Chock chick I can't bring myself to cull either, you can take a little day trip out to Simla meat locker. They charge $3 a bird. There is a great place in town on Main Street serves breakfast. Eat then pick-up tour chicken for dinner. They do a nice job. They do chickens on Saturday. Good luck , but I would be concerned if he is mean.

 

[suncatcher]

Some people swear they can change an aggressive Roo's behavior, there are several websites that go into detail on how to go about, BUT, it takes time and energy! You have to let him know YOU are the head Roo. One gal sets up a smaller pen, then goes in, and when he comes at her, she grabs hims and picks him up. She then carries him around for awhile, petting and stroking him. Not sure if you have the time or energy, but this gal swears by this method. Will see if I can find her chicken site.....

Nice that every ones pullets are turning into laying hens!!! Yay, always exciting!

Wendi, I thought hubby found egg shells early in the morning, in the girls coop, but my reading comprehension has been known to be lacking!!!! If they are laying shell less eggs, whole other story!