Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[DaveMorey]

So I cant remember if it was this thread or another where I mentioned culling all of my roos and someone recommended to keep a couple. Anyway, I took the advice since there is so much more wisdom collected on these pages than I can have on my own. I intended to keep two roos for my 27 hens however during the processing we had a jail break and the escapee didn't return until we were all done. I am thankful I kept the boys though. Today I witnessed a whole new side of them besides being sex crazed maniacs. Today I have seen them watch over the girls and even pick food out and hold it out for a hen. The rooster did this 3 times before the hen finally caught on and took the food. The noise level in the backyard has dropped significantly so I guess I don't have to worry about being lynched by the neighbors anymore too. I just thought I would thank everyone for their advice and share the tender chicken moment.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

It's so crazy. You guys were talking about chickens laying double yolkers and stuff... The very next morning I go out and find an extra-jumbo double sized egg out of one of my Golden Comets. XD I am happy when I get double yolkers. Sucks in a way, but I can't change what my chickens lay, so I'll be happy for the novelty and delicious creamy insides. :3

 

[Triple Willow]

So I cant remember if it was this thread or another where I mentioned culling all of my roos and someone recommended to keep a couple. Anyway, I took the advice since there is so much more wisdom collected on these pages than I can have on my own. I intended to keep two roos for my 27 hens however during the processing we had a jail break and the escapee didn't return until we were all done. I am thankful I kept the boys though. Today I witnessed a whole new side of them besides being sex crazed maniacs. Today I have seen them watch over the girls and even pick food out and hold it out for a hen. The rooster did this 3 times before the hen finally caught on and took the food. The noise level in the backyard has dropped significantly so I guess I don't have to worry about being lynched by the neighbors anymore too. I just thought I would thank everyone for their advice and share the tender chicken moment.

Hey Dave. Sounds like we have had similar experiences. lol I believe I ended up with five roosters I was going to kill. I had planned to keep a couple but they were so dang awful I was just "gonna kill 'em all!" lol One was so awful to EVERYBODY that I got fed up one day and literally kicked his butt out of the pen. I thought he was really going to kill a couple of the other roosters! Then another rooster escaped so those two ran loose for at least a month. Then one day while they were out free-ranging those two (who would gang up on others) ran another rooster clean off. He went to the field, hid and wouldn't come back. So then I had one gone, two running loose and two in a pen. Come killing day I killed the two in the pen and the two running loose - and finally there was no more fighting to worry about. (But I did hate killing them.) Then a few days later I go outside and the long lost rooster is in the driveway. He had been through heck and lived in the wild for at least a month. To say the least I have deep respect for the roo! I had tried to find him but couldn't so I figured something had caught him and ate him. I put him in a pen to him self and began to fatten him back up. After all he had been through, no way was I going to kill him - might give him to somebody needing a rooster, but not going to kill him. Well in the meantime the dang pullets started fighting among them selves. Ahhhh! The rooster, probably 50 feet away, pacing back and forth, back and forth all day every day wanting in with the pullets. I kind of needed his pen anyway so I decided to try putting him with them. I expected the worst but boy did he surprise me! He has been the total gentleman and he loves his pullets! He finds them food, watches out while they eat, looks out while they free range, breaks up fights, etc. He has never had to but I have no doubt he would do his best to protect them. He is so much taller than them, I've seen him pull the tops off of weeds then lay them on the ground for them to eat. He has a place around here as long as he lives. I tell you, God really did something when he created the roo. I don't plan to ever be without one, and I LOVE to hear them crow.

 

[Triple Willow]

He's not the prettiest roo out there and wasn't even my pick of one to keep but I am so glad it worked out like it did!

 

[Beekissed]

He's not the prettiest roo out there and wasn't even my pick of one to keep but I am so glad it worked out like it did!

I think he's quite lovely! I'd have him at my place in a minute.

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Amen to that! I wouldn't keep a flock without a rooster...they are the hub of the flock and have saved my hens over and over through the years. Plus, they are just so pretty and regal, the picture of pride and beauty when they stalk across the grass...love 'em!

 

[Triple Willow]

I think he's quite lovely!  I'd have him at my place in a minute.

Amen to that!  I wouldn't keep a flock without a rooster...they are the hub of the flock and have saved my hens over and over through the years.  Plus, they are just so pretty and regal, the picture of pride and beauty when they stalk across the grass...love 'em! 

Thank you Bee. The natural instinct that God instilled in them is really quite amazing.

 

[DaveMorey]

He's not the prettiest roo out there and wasn't even my pick of one to keep but I am so glad it worked out like it did!

I think he looks great. I wish I could say I chose mine with some kind of knowledge of their future behavior but I didn't. I walked through my run with my boys and looked at all of them (13). The key things I looked for was long tail feathers, the condition of their back feathers, and how they stood within the flock. Not much science but gut instinct. I figured any room at the bottom of the male pecking order would have no long tail feathers and would look a bit more disheveled than the rest. Also that they would be on the outside of the flock like satellites. Once I made my pick I had my boys catch him up and I banded a leg with a colored zip tie hung loose about the ankle. This way we didn't pick the wrong ones at night when we separated the ones slated for death row (sorry, prison joke). I still may cull the escaped when I do my CX. He doesn't have the dominance of the other two and is a bit of an outcast. I guess I have a month to decide. I will try to get a couple pics of my two selections tomorrow.

 

[Kassaundra]

Well ............................................. Don't know if regal is the most accurate descriptor for Jaxom







But maybe Oreo could be regal.

Both are good roos though, and Jaxom has genetics I need for the flock I am building. Oreo is my head roo

 

[Beekissed]

Dave, which one do your hens prefer? Keep your eye on that one...he will be your most likely flock master.

 

[Beekissed]

Oreo is definitely beautiful...and regal!! Love how he looks! The other one? Not so much, but he sure would be easy to process with that neck all bare like that.