How do you cope with getting rid of your roos?

[TerryTT]

I live in a subdivision so can't have roosters. Currently have them in the house so they won't disturb the neighbours. Anyhow, I've found homes for them and they leave this weekend and I'm so depressed about it. believe it or not, I'm actually going to miss the crowing. It's kinda cute they crow when I wake up and when they hear me come home.

How do you guys deal with getting rid of your roos? It's breaking my heart. I got them (all bantams) from McMurray's so they were straight run day old chicks. The plan was, find good homes for the roos and keep the hens, I never realized how hard it would be.

They are all going to good homes, but it's still depressing to see them go.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! It's great to hear that your little guys are getting rehomed; sometimes it's hard to do. Chicken flock reality is that many cockrels are hatched, and very few are needed. Big birds generally get to be dinner, but not bantams. I like to have roosters, and live in the boonies so I can, not in the city or suburbia. It's still necessary to get rid of excess cockrels, hopefully to good homes. This is part of having chickens; right now I have three excess boys looking for homes myself. Mary

 

[11mini]

I had the same problem, I bought three layer hens this summer, turns out one was a roo. He was my favorite, not shy at all, would come right up to me and get treats. I still call him Maggie. I had him for 6 weeks before I figured out he was a rooster. Never did crow but started mounting the other two on a regular basis then thanks to some help on here I discovered my barred rock hen was actually a cuckoo maran rooster. The day I rehomed him was tough. The store offered to take him back but they weren't getting any more hens. I found a local woman who sold chickens and eggs and bought a hen from her. She took Maggie and gave her to another farm. I still miss her. him.

This is the new Maggie.

 

[TerryTT]

I am grateful I was able to find them homes where they won't be dinner. Frizzles and polish are a little hard to find in my area so I think that may have had a bit to do with it. And of course they were raised in the house and given so much attention that they crave attention and like cuddles. Aside from one white frizzle that's a mean little jerk, but he's beautiful so I even got a home for him.

 

[rainbowrooster]

It is just something you get used to doing. I spent a lot of time on farms as a kid so I always realized all the animals were providing food or were food. The same holds true for me today. We hatch a lot of birds and half off those will be males and most of those will be "moved along". I don't keep unwanted males long enough for me to eat. They are sold and most likely eaten by the buyer. I never felt bad about that since eventually, they are all eaten by something whether it be humans, predators, or worms.

 

[TerryTT]

That's true. I read a lot of the posts here before I got my chicks and told myself I woudn't get attached. Didn't work. HAHA. If I lived in a secluded area with lots of acres then I wouldn't think twice about having a seperate "bachelor pad" away from the hens, I believe some people here have those for their roos. I'll definitely do that if I relocate.

I am considering keeping my blue silkie roo for my frizzle hen. So far his crows aren't overly loud (can't be heard outside the house) and he's not a chronic crower, mostly its: "Hey mom's awake!" - cocka-doodle-doo. "Hey mom just got home from shopping!" - cocka-doodle-doo. "I knocked over my water dish!" - cocka-doodle-doo.