Food Agression

[Chickassan]

Culling is a tough decision so i get her reluctance. But all those boys fighting maiming each other maybe even turning on you guys isn't something she'd want either. I won't even go into what they'd do to those girls. Thinning the boys and getting more girls is a win for y'all and a loss for the scorpions. You did pick a good breed for your purpose that is for sure.

 

[aart]

The goal with the chicken is just to free range them on the property for pest control. We have loads of bark scorpions around and I know the chicken are asleep when those are active but I am hoping to cull the food supply for the scorpions. I'm considering ordering another lot of possibly 6-7 hens to raise as Sumatra are reportedly slow to mature. I'll keep an eye on him and possibly cull the little guy. As I stated previously, I ordered a straight run and got that crummy ratio from the breeder. Also we were expecting 80% to die and all lived so we didn't know what to expect. I read your replies to my wife and she is starting to come around to the idea of culling before she was opposed to the idea.

edit: How many chicken do you think I need to keep on a straight acre, in an environment that never really has a winter and the grass always grows?

Do the roost in a coop at night or are they totally free range 24/7?
Predators may cull of some of them, or they may self-cull by fighting to the death.
Will be much easier to kill-cull once they start really fighting and abusing the females.
The meaner the cockerel the tastier they are IMO...but I slaughter mine before 16 weeks to avoid the chaos once hormones start to flow.

Do you have your acre fenced to hold chickens or is it open to neighboring property?
Is your 'need' just to kill off the scorps?

 

[AllenK RGV]

Culling is a tough decision so i get her reluctance. But all those boys fighting maiming each other maybe even turning on you guys isn't something she'd want either. I won't even go into what they'd do to those girls. Thinning the boys and getting more girls is a win for y'all and a loss for the scorpions. You did pick a good breed for your purpose that is for sure.

Yeah, I had read before chicken=death, I just wasn't ready for the death part yet. What is the best method for culling a machete to the neck? Only in the last month have I become able to differentiate the males from the females based on behavior, combs, and feathering. My wife is going to try to pass them on to the Brownsville Zoo first before I'm allowed to cull, as they are a showy and old breed imported into the US in the 1820-1840's. That potentially can get rid of 1-2 but I won't be holding my breath on that. Also, it is overwintering hawk season so I'll keep my fingers crossed for some natural culls of the males or I can just keep them locked out of the coop at night pretty sure they will get eaten by something.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Do the roost in a coop at night or are they totally free range 24/7?
Do you have your acre fenced to hold chickens or is it open to neighboring property?
Is your 'need' just to kill off the scorps?

6 foot Hurricane Fence around our entire property, but the jack rabbits get in...The chicken have a fenced in 50ftx150ft run with a 10x10 coop armored with 1/4" hardware cloth over all external wooden surfaces and open ventilation areas excepting the roof and floor that they go in to every night.

The need is only to kill off the scorps food sources as we are 99% vegetarian I did have a MickyD's Chicken sammie today=)

 

[Chickassan]

Well if it has to be done here it's just put the neck on a log and one swift hatchet chop. If you don't ask questions you can put them up on Craigslist or your local trading post paper people will take them but you never know their intentions.

 

[AllenK RGV]

If you don't ask questions you can put them up on Craigslist .....people will take them but you never know their intentions.

Could care less if they are to be eaten(that is a chickens purpose historically), however, down here it would probably be to try and cock fight them after they grow as the Rio Grande is my water source I live about 10 miles North of the border.

edit, actually I am east of the border(now I look at the map closest is east but north works too, so does nw it is a bit confusing just moved here in April)) I'm just used to the expression "North of the border". I'm thinking the best way is just to give them to one of our neighbors who I know will enjoy eating them I have plenty around to take them in for that purpose.

 

[lazy gardener]

My neighbors have a rooster. He is a very large rooster. He us not mean to me. But he us very food agressive with the Ladies. I have no idea what to do with him or how to make him stop. He Chase's the girls away from the food. He attacks the girls. Does anyone know what I can do to make him stop.

Marian, your post got lost among in the shuffle of other poster. It sounds like the neighbor's roo is coming to your yard, and chasing your pullets away from their food. Is this what's happening?

If so, first, I'd talk to the neighbor, and tell him that he needs to keep his roo home. If that does not change the issue, I'd call the local animal control officer. However, your best bet might be to put up a run to keep your girls safe from his unwanted visitation. If talking to the neighbor and calling ACO did not work, and it was my yard, and my chickens, that roo would be finding his way into my crock pot.

 

[bobbi-j]

My neighbors have a rooster. He is a very large rooster. He us not mean to me. But he us very food agressive with the Ladies. I have no idea what to do with him or how to make him stop. He Chase's the girls away from the food. He attacks the girls. Does anyone know what I can do to make him stop.

If it's your neighbor's rooster coming and harassing your hens, he needs to stop. You should talk to your neighbor and ask that they keep him home. If that doesn't happen, you may need to fence in your yard or build a run for your hens. (I'd be tempted to have chicken for supper one night.)

Yeah, I had read before chicken=death, I just wasn't ready for the death part yet. What is the best method for culling a machete to the neck? Only in the last month have I become able to differentiate the males from the females based on behavior, combs, and feathering. My wife is going to try to pass them on to the Brownsville Zoo first before I'm allowed to cull, as they are a showy and old breed imported into the US in the 1820-1840's. That potentially can get rid of 1-2 but I won't be holding my breath on that. Also, it is overwintering hawk season so I'll keep my fingers crossed for some natural culls of the males or I can just keep them locked out of the coop at night pretty sure they will get eaten by something.

That is highly irresponsible and cruel in my opinion. It's far more humane to take a hatchet to their neck and decapitate them. At least with decapitation, they're dead in a second or two. Boom. It's all over. Why would you want them to go through the pain and terror of being torn apart and eaten before they're dead?

Marian, your post got lost among in the shuffle of other poster. It sounds like the neighbor's roo is coming to your yard, and chasing your pullets away from their food. Is this what's happening?

If so, first, I'd talk to the neighbor, and tell him that he needs to keep his roo home. If that does not change the issue, I'd call the local animal control officer. However, your best bet might be to put up a run to keep your girls safe from his unwanted visitation. If talking to the neighbor and calling ACO did not work, and it was my yard, and my chickens, that roo would be finding his way into my crock pot.

As always,

 

[aart]

Marian, your post got lost among in the shuffle of other poster. It sounds like the neighbor's roo is coming to your yard, and chasing your pullets away from their food. Is this what's happening?

That question was asked and they haven't been back to respond....or not.<shrugs>

 

[AllenK RGV]

That is highly irresponsible and cruel in my opinion. It's far more humane to take a hatchet to their neck and decapitate them. At least with decapitation, they're dead in a second or two. Boom. It's all over. Why would you want them to go through the pain and terror of being torn apart and eaten before they're dead?


As always,

I'm brainstorming and eaten by people who are willing to slaughter them is where I am headed since I want to keep 2 of the prettier and mellower males and not leave natural selection to chance that the meanest will come out on top. I have no intention of craigslisting them so they can be used for the sport of fighting or bait critters for someones fighting cock. If I was unclear there my apologies. I have plenty of neighbors who will eat them as 50% of this neighborhood raises them for meat/eggs. This is one of the poorest counties in Texas. Free meat should be an easy sale and I know to whom the roos will be going now that I have gotten feedback/assistance with brainstorming a solution. As I had mentioned previously this is my first experience with the practice of culling and my first ever flock. I went into this unprepared for the subtraction aspect of chicken math.