Cull him, or wait for protection?

[CoopsNPoops]

Try to use Craig’s list or other social media to rehome or repurpose him to save yourself the headache, stress and extra work. If you’re a young parent of two little ones you’re already super busy!!

Actually, I'm a parent to 4, lol. The two toddlers are just with me throughout the day as the other two are at school. My husband works nights so he sleeps most of the day and can't be much help. My days are dedicated to my toddlers, housework, errands, etc. My evenings and nights are dedicated to helping with homework, dinner, practices, games, other after school activities, bath and bed routines, more rounds of housework, etc, lol. You don't even wanna know how hectic my weekends are. The very little free time we may get we squeeze in there somewhere.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

I'm a hunter too. Born and raised in the country. That's one of the reasons I said I don't have time for livestock that bullys. We would never accept that on our farm. From the chickens up to the cows, if you don't get along, you go. Give the bird to someone else to butcher if that's what you need to do. Just do it. Your children depend on you to keep them safe. Keeping the cockerel is not keeping your children safe. I only said to trash the body because it sounded like the butchering was what was holding you back. I misunderstood and apologize if I offended. But it really does need to be done

I understand keeping him isn't keeping my children safe, but for the time being we were doing a good job at keeping him at bay until we found the way and the time to get rid of him. On the roost is the only chance i got. So that's a limited time frame of hectic mornings that i have to take my children to school (not possible there), and nights when it's just as hectic (maybe a little more possible there if I'm lucky and caught up). Like tonight when i planned on it, here i am without the chance yet again. Some weekends, maybe if im lucky there too. I guess i can get a gun and shoot him during the day, but that's yet another delima. The "seriously" and the "get it over with" was what was a tad offensive and rude. Judgemental that i haven't done it as quick and easy as you would have.. It's not that simple. Not for me.. The best i can do for the time being is either put him in a kennel during the day, or list him hoping someone can use the asshole.

 

[Kglassmo]

I understand keeping him isn't keeping my children safe, but for the time being we were doing a good job at keeping him at bay until we found the way and the time to get rid of him. On the roost is the only chance i got. So that's a limited time frame of hectic mornings that i have to take my children to school (not possible there), and nights when it's just as hectic (maybe a little more possible there if I'm lucky and caught up). Like tonight when i planned on it, here i am without the chance yet again. Some weekends, maybe if im lucky there too. I guess i can get a gun and shoot him during the day, but that's yet another delima. The "seriously" and the "get it over with" was what was a tad offensive and rude. Judgemental that i haven't done it as quick and easy as you would have.. It's not that simple. Not for me.. The best i can do for the time being is either put him in a kennel during the day, or list him hoping someone can use the asshole.

It sounds like you’re doing the best you can and holding out for best option, I hope this will give you peace of mind. I’m a parent of 4 children also. It’s crazy busy. you’re smart doing what’s right for your family in our own way, thinking it out. A few yes ago, I had to put a rooster in a separate cage in our garage for a couple weeks till we could re-home him. I’m sad you got dealt an aggressive roo.
It’s true you don’t need a roo to keep your hens safe, but if you ever want to breed your hens or have chicks you’ll need a good roo. My old boy is a good breeder and his fertile eggs are quickly purchased. Before, when one of my hens became ‘alpha’ in absence of a roo she was more aggressive than any rooster we ever had- she did a weird crow and held down other hens and ‘mated’ on them to show her dominance and it was not to protect them, was only to dominate. My current rooster is much kinder than that.

 

[argosnikki]

I make mine garden. I would stick him in a kennel somewhere I want the soil improved and leave him there. Give him a roost and cover the kennel in bad weather. Move him around after a month or so. Don't beat yourself up but confine the issue and put him to work.

 

[NatJ]

On the roost is the only chance i got.

Even if you can only catch him on the roost, you can butcher him at any time you like.

Just grab him off the roost and put him somewhere you can get him later.
A dog crate would work, but so would an upside down laundry basket with a big rock on top. Or a cardboard box with some holes for air.

If you catch him one night, and butcher him before the next night, he does not need food and water while he is waiting.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

Even if you can only catch him on the roost, you can butcher him at any time you like.

Just grab him off the roost and put him somewhere you can get him later.
A dog crate would work, but so would an upside down laundry basket with a big rock on top. Or a cardboard box with some holes for air.

If you catch him one night, and butcher him before the next night, he does not need food and water while he is waiting.

I got him this morning and put him in a dog kennel. I'll try this timeout method for awhile. Do i need to put him where he can't see the hens? Or is he fine seeing them around him? I can put him in the coop nightly and put him in the kennel each day, or do i need to strictly leave him in the kennel. Would it benefit to handle him alot, as well as my kids, or will it benefit better if not. Like i said, when hes in a confined space, he's fine. The kids can even pet him and hold him. Its when he's loose in the yard is when hes a problem.

 

[Ridgerunner]

But like mentioned in previous post- young roos have little to no meat, especially if they’re not bred for meat- so I don’t think any of this is worth your time or stress.

It was a 14 month old dual purpose rooster when this thread started about a month ago, now he's 15 months old. I appreciate he does not meet your criteria as a meat chicken, but many of us raise chickens like this for meat and butcher them much younger. It's an EE which doesn't really tell me anything about size but some people on this forum raise bantams for meat. We all have different backgrounds, experiences, and personal preferences.

I was raised on a farm. The rule was if you caught it or shot it you cleaned it and the family ate it. Unless it was vermin, then you buried it or drug it off the to the woods well away from human habitation for nature to take care of it. The chickens we raised had a lot of "game" in them relatively small as far as dual purpose chickens go. We still ate them. Mom could feed a family of seven off of a small hen and often did. Chicken and dumplings made with an old hen is comfort food and a great way to stretch meat. The meat may not be worth it to you but to many of us it is.

I think it takes me about 10 minutes per bird, not counting setup/cleanup.

Nat you know it will take someone a lot longer than 10 minutes to do one bird even not counting set-up, teardown, and cleanup. It's a 15 month old rooster with all that connective tissue, a lot different than a 16 week old cockerel, let alone a very young Cornish X. I skin mine, I'd be surprised if someone with no experience and questionable equipment could finish a male this age in a half hour.

I have no issue with culling him, im just overwhelmed and tend to push stuff to the side that overwhelms me.

It's been a month that this has been wearing on you. I understand procrastination, I do enough of that myself. But if you had finished this then you'd have long been over it. At some point you have to do something for your quality of life. It will never be the right time to do anything unless you make the time. If a kid gets sick it's never at a convenient time yet you make time to deal with it.

I understand your desire to not waste the meat but from what I've read I don't think eating him is the best for you. It's not just the time but the stress of not knowing what you are doing in butchering and other stuff.

You could treat him like vermin and let his decayed carcass feed the trees. You can try Craigslist. That will take time to write the ad, talk to people on the phone, and meet with someone that might or might not show up. We've used Craigslist, it can be frustrating but it can work. If you have a zoo nearby they may be glad to take him as food for some of their carnivores.

You can try to find the Missouri thread in the "Where an I? Where are you!" section of this forum and chat with your neighbors. You can go to the "Buy, sell, trade" section of this forum and post there, including your location in the title to attract your neighbors.

I've put things off before that I knew I had to get done. When I did it was such a relief. Quit punishing yourself and get it over with.

 

[NatJ]

Nat you know it will take someone a lot longer than 10 minutes to do one bird even not counting set-up, teardown, and cleanup. It's a 15 month old rooster with all that connective tissue, a lot different than a 16 week old cockerel, let alone a very young Cornish X. I skin mine, I'd be surprised if someone with no experience and questionable equipment could finish a male this age in a half hour.

Yes, I agree about how long a beginner might take.

But I was responding to Kglassmo who said it's too much work for the amount of meat-- I can do it quickly enough that it is worth the time for me.

 

[CoopsNPoops]

It was a 14 month old dual purpose rooster when this thread started about a month ago, now he's 15 months old. I appreciate he does not meet your criteria as a meat chicken, but many of us raise chickens like this for meat and butcher them much younger. It's an EE which doesn't really tell me anything about size but some people on this forum raise bantams for meat. We all have different backgrounds, experiences, and personal preferences.

I was raised on a farm. The rule was if you caught it or shot it you cleaned it and the family ate it. Unless it was vermin, then you buried it or drug it off the to the woods well away from human habitation for nature to take care of it. The chickens we raised had a lot of "game" in them relatively small as far as dual purpose chickens go. We still ate them. Mom could feed a family of seven off of a small hen and often did. Chicken and dumplings made with an old hen is comfort food and a great way to stretch meat. The meat may not be worth it to you but to many of us it is.


Nat you know it will take someone a lot longer than 10 minutes to do one bird even not counting set-up, teardown, and cleanup. It's a 15 month old rooster with all that connective tissue, a lot different than a 16 week old cockerel, let alone a very young Cornish X. I skin mine, I'd be surprised if someone with no experience and questionable equipment could finish a male this age in a half hour.


It's been a month that this has been wearing on you. I understand procrastination, I do enough of that myself. But if you had finished this then you'd have long been over it. At some point you have to do something for your quality of life. It will never be the right time to do anything unless you make the time. If a kid gets sick it's never at a convenient time yet you make time to deal with it.

I understand your desire to not waste the meat but from what I've read I don't think eating him is the best for you. It's not just the time but the stress of not knowing what you are doing in butchering and other stuff.

You could treat him like vermin and let his decayed carcass feed the trees. You can try Craigslist. That will take time to write the ad, talk to people on the phone, and meet with someone that might or might not show up. We've used Craigslist, it can be frustrating but it can work. If you have a zoo nearby they may be glad to take him as food for some of their carnivores.

You can try to find the Missouri thread in the "Where an I? Where are you!" section of this forum and chat with your neighbors. You can go to the "Buy, sell, trade" section of this forum and post there, including your location in the title to attract your neighbors.

I've put things off before that I knew I had to get done. When I did it was such a relief. Quit punishing yourself and get it over with.

Procrastination is what best describes it i guess. If i wait for the perfect most convenient time, it'll never get done. Obviously, lol. Procrastination and being overwhelmed. If i have 100 things thrown at me, i push it off because of the overwhelm and confusion. Out of sight out of mind i guess. He goes to the back of my mind until my kids remind me we have a problem still. This was the first "attack" since the original post, so i thought we were good for the time being. It really wasn't top priority anymore, if you know what i mean, so it was unintentionally pushed off. Chicken & Dumplings seems like the best option.. All the different ways to process him overwhelmed me too, as i don't have the means to do it the ways that were suggested. When i heard scald, 42 tools, tables, buckets, hours, etc. i was quick to shut the idea down from (again) overwhelm. Im sure it will be much simpler once I'm in to the process, but it's getting passed the (i use this word alot, lol) overwhelm. Severe Anxiety is quite a debilitating neusence, lol.

 

[Brooks_]

Just checking in. Is that bird dead yet?