Culling a long time rooster. Is there a better time of day?

[JacinLarkwell]

Unless it's an expensive or rare or stunningly beautiful breed, even I wouldn't take in a rooster that mean. And I'm someone who puts up with a lot from certain roosters

 

[doublecrossranch]

why not try to find him a new home instead of kill him?

It would be irresponsible for me to give him to someone else. He also attacks kids. My youngest is 15 so it’s not an issue until friends come over. I’ve had to get stitches in the back of my head because he attacked me. Killing him is the best option.

 

[NatJ]

Time of day: kill him at the soonest time that is convenient for you!

If he's hard to catch, then grabbing him after dark may be easiest.

If you want to butcher him for meat, you may want to grab him in the dark, put him in a crate for the night, and do the actual killing/butchering during the next day so you have sunlight to see what you're doing.

Chickens care if you chase them all around trying to catch one, but as for having the rooster be actually gone--I don't think the hens will care what time he disappears.

 

[Folly's place]

Those hens will probably be cheering you on!
Mary

 

[Ruthster55]

Grabbing him off the roost at night and then putting him in a crate or cage for butchering the next day is indeed the best thing to do. This will help him clear his gut so that the meat will be safer and gutting will be a less messy process.

If you aren't used to butchering an ornery rooster, sit in a chair (with a bucket right in front of the chair for the blood) and try massaging him under his wings for a few seconds before doing the deed. This will calm him down.

 

[Mrs. K]

The meat may be tasty. But it will take some prep. I had a rooster that age, and I tried to cook immediately in a pressure cooker - I thought that would soften anything. It didn't. It was like rubber, could not eat it, even the dog could not eat it. So keep that in mind.

 

[Rooapalooza]

The meat may be tasty. But it will take some prep. I had a rooster that age, and I tried to cook immediately in a pressure cooker - I thought that would soften anything. It didn't. It was like rubber, could not eat it, even the dog could not eat it. So keep that in mind.

How old was yours?

 

[Es_In_Miami]

It would be irresponsible for me to give him to someone else. He also attacks kids. My youngest is 15 so it’s not an issue until friends come over. I’ve had to get stitches in the back of my head because he attacked me. Killing him is the best option.

I'm a pet sucker and I wouldn't have tolerated an incident leading to stitches or constant attacks. We can influence behavior but we cannot change temperament. You did your best with him. In nature he would have fought and probably would have been killed by other roosters. Ever seen them gang up on a hostile bird? I have, it was not pretty.

Thank you for trying your best with that bird. I hope the process passes quickly.

 

[Rooapalooza]

why not try to find him a new home instead of kill him?

I did that one time and regretted it. I had a very aggressive bantam rooster that my neighbor said she wanted. She could not handle him and ended up giving him away within a month... who knows what happened after that.
I've heard you shouldn't breed aggressive roosters because you don't want to pass along their genetics. And you definitely shouldn't keep a rooster around that is violent with the other flock members.
Ultimately I think the best thing to do is take care of the problem yourself. Most roosters don't even get a chance to live, and there's so many nice roosters out there looking for homes.

 

[Mrs. K]

Mine was going on two years of age. I was thinking that this was an older rooster-but on looking back, did not see that.