Getting rid of the rooster

[Larkin]

I have a rooster that attacks the small people of my family. We decided to butcher him when the weather is warm enough (been unusually cold this spring) and when my sister heard, she said she would take him. Problem is, he's going to be all alone. I really don't want to get rid of any of our hens, and if we did give up one of the girl, wouldn't Buff "run her ragged"? I'm wondering if he'd be too lonely by himself. My DH says at least he'd be alive, I say death may be better than being alone.
What do you think?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I think I would go ahead and butcher. One hen would be ran pretty ragged by the rooster, and he'd probably be absolutely miserable alone.

 

[Larkin]

Okay, what about another rooster? Can 2 roosters get along without any hens to fight over? (DH wants to spare Buff-what a pushover!)

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

If he was raised with another rooster it would be fine but adding a strange rooster prob won't work well if at all....I see big problems with that.....if he is going to free range all day I say let her take him, of course she risks something getting him, but if he were to be locked in a pen all day I would feel very bad for him, he'd be bored.When they free range they are busy all the time and I don't think he'd mind so much being alone.

 

[Larkin]

So, in the winter when he'll be inside for 9months by himself, he's going to be lonely. Uggh, sounds like this adoption is not a good idea.
Maybe I should try to make him get along with my kids? I don't want him to be lonely! I think it's more humane to butcher or forget about the adoption.

 

[Attila the Hen]

Why not run an ad to see if someone wants him? My boy is getting a little more aggressive now he's getting older, but when he went for me I just picked him up and carried him around a few minutes loving on him. I think it takes away all his dignity and puts him in his place.

 

[Becky_H]

I have a single 'roo. He's an adult BO, and he's... really and completely fine. Oh, he's overly attached to us because his social needs aren't met by chickens and that means they have to be met by *us*, and I am in no way claiming it's ideal (circumstances are what they are, and he's the only chicken from our original flock a few years ago still around), and we plan on getting him some hens, but he's... a happy, sweet, affectionate bird. He follows us like a puppy, roosts inside in a huge (HUGE) parrot cage at night, spends more time inside than most people would find sane -but he's certainly happy.

Conversely: He is not, and has never been a mean bird. He's never attacked anyone or anything. When the rest of the flock went, he was all of 12 weeks old. So he was willing and able to get his social needs met by us, in a way that I do not imagine would be possible for a 'mean' rooster who doesn't much like folks.

 

[jjparke]

Roosters taste so good!

 

[Larkin]

Quote:
Yeah, Buff was even an grumpy chick. We had 2 BO in the batch of 25 chick and they would squawk loudly when we would pick them up and as they aged, would try to avoid us. My sister's going to be disappointed but we do have an a few new chicks that certainly will include some roos. I'll let her have one of those to raise and baby. She'll want to be able to baby him.

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

I say try and find him another home then with lots of hens, but sounds like you already made up your mind