Help!! Children want to keep all the roosters!

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I have two boys a 12yr old and a 2yr old. I ordered 10 chickens as a straight run with the plans of keeping the hens for eggs and put the roosters in the freezer. My 12yr old has Asperger's and is very attached to the chickens. He holds them all time. He doesn't want them slaughtered. I explained to him that they are not pets. They are farm animals, and that it's a part of life. He is very distraught about butchering them and says he won't eat them. Should I stick to my original plan or sell them instead?

I would definitely sell them rather than keep/slaughter them, since your 12 year old is so opposed. And in the future choose only pullets since you now know how strongly he feels. A few pounds of meat isn't worth the genuine hurt and despair he will feel if you kill his pets.

 

[Bellemere]

Ah, starting to make more sense now.
You have 5 cockerels and five pullets?
You don't live on a farm (?)
Bad choice of reasoning with your sons then.
Can't be long before your eldest tells you unless the creatures actually live on a farm they're not farm animals.
If either, or both of your sons have become attatched to these chickens and your line of reasoning given for needing has been found wanting then you've got ten pets as far as your boys are concerned.
If you kill any you'll be a pet murderer. Children remember things like this for the rest of their lives.
Just out of curiosity, what did you tell them when you ordered the chickens/when they arrived?

I when I ordered them I told them that we were going to get chickens so we could have eggs and meat for us to eat. When my oldest got upset I did also explain that we had too many roosters to keep them. That they would hurt each other as they get older.

 

[getaclue]

Great suggestion Allsfair.

 

[Bellemere]

I can understand that. You do have too many cockerel's. If you decide to later on keep only one of them, I would pick the most mellow one to try out.

There is one that my 12 yr old adores. He named him Red. I might keep him.

 

[BlueBaby]

I when I ordered them I told them that we were going to get chickens so we could have eggs and meat for us to eat. When my oldest got upset I did also explain that we had too many roosters to keep them. That they would hurt each other as they get older.

They belong to you, so it's your decision. Maybe you could sell the cockerel's, and then use the money to either buy more hen's, or use the money for an activity that your children like to do?

 

[Bellemere]

They belong to you, so it's your decision. Maybe you could sell the cockerel's, and then use the money to either buy more hen's, or use the money for an activity that your children like to do?

I didn't think about getting more chickens... That's a good idea. I might sell the cockerels and buy more sexed chicks. I will definitely only be buying pullets in the future. Thank you for your suggestions and advice☺

 

[Shadrach]

I when I ordered them I told them that we were going to get chickens so we could have eggs and meat for us to eat. When my oldest got upset I did also explain that we had too many roosters to keep them. That they would hurt each other as they get older.

I don't think anyone can be of much help.
What I might consider is explaining to your boys that you've made a mistake.
You thought you would be able to kill the males if necessary but now you have them you can't.
Then I would advertise all the chickens you got as breeding pairs, male and female. They'll be a lot easier to home as pairs and it will improve the males life chances. There are plenty of people who will buy a cockerel to butcher, having a pair, brother and sister makes it a bit more difficult.
Once you've rehomed them all, look for eggs and meat which states it is Pasture Raised.
Forget about the whole rearing livestock business. It would cost you more from what little I understand about your circumstances than paying two, or three times the price for pasture raised eggs and meat.
You would regain credibility with your children, give them time with the chickens with a worthwhile goal in mind and in the end make your life so so much easier.

This is probably the best advice you will get that solves most of your problems.

 

[Shadrach]

Oh, by the way. I fell in love with roosters at about 12 years old too.

 

[sourland]

There is one that my 12 yr old adores. He named him Red. I might keep him.

A reasonable choice. Explain why the others have to go. Do not kill and eat them, and above all DO NOT lie to your children. It's something kids never forget - experienced that myself as a child.

 

[sourland]

Oh, by the way. I fell in love with roosters at about 12 years old too.

With me it was a duck at 5.