How to convince husband to keep roosters

[Slh64]

Hi — what can I say to convince my husband that having a rooster in the flock isn’t a big deal when gathering eggs for consumption? He says he doesn’t want to eat eggs that have been fertilized — but there’s no difference between a non fertilized and fetitlized egg if it isn’t incubated correctly nothing will develop. We together got 4 chicks on impulse. They are straight run chicks we were both aware of this at the time so 50 50 that they’ll be hen or roo. No sooner than we get them situated he says we aren’t keeping any roosters don’t get attached… I’m raising them by hand and dedicating a lot of time and money and love to their upcoming and introductions to our small flock. I do not want to get rid of any of them regardless of sex and going to put a lot of effort not flock dynamics to ensure a well balanced flock. I know roosters aren’t necessary for hens or eggs but if we do get one (or multiple that will be a different post for a different day) - How can I convince my husband it’s okay to keep him with the flock? We don’t intend on hatching chicks. Eggs are for consumption by us and shared with family. The excuse he’s given me is he doesn’t want to eat semen in a fertilized egg. Is there any difference between fertilized and non eggs?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If he's ever eaten eggs from a grocery store, in baked goods, etc. he's already eaten fertilized eggs. They do slip in from commercial sources as people have hatched grocery store eggs. They taste the same as unfertilized eggs and if you don't know what to look for, look the same as well.

 

[SourRoses]

There isn't "semen" in the egg... if an ova is fertilized it is a single sperm that makes it into the hens fertility product (I am saying this grossly to point out that eggs aren't the most appetizing if you really think about them either).

In our family, we have fun writing Grocery Lists as follows:

Flesh of Bird
Flesh of Cow - Rib
Bovine Mammary Secretions
Microbially Digested Mammary Secretions (aka Cheese)

It might be helpful to talk about what food really is. Especially the things he finds delicious!

On another note... it might be helpful to talk to yourself about the "keeping every rooster" goal. It's not nice to the girls at all. In nature, extra boys are picked off early as they attempt to prove themselves against threats, or are ostracized by the flock leader and at a survival disadvantage. A natural flock has one rooster, occasionally more if the number of hens is high.
When we try to force a situation where the ratio is unnatural, the hens always suffer. Your young boys will force the immature pullets, scare them, wait to pounce on them around the feed and water, pull feathers off their backs and even necks, and can hurt them badly. I have had a hen scalped by a roo, had to put her down. It's just not a fair situation.

 

[CoopBoots]

I mean, an egg IS the hen's reproductive cell + an external womb full of essentially amniotic fluid + chick lunch for 24 days. I can see objecting to eating a chicken embryo/zygote for vegan reasons, but not just because a rooster's reproductive cells might also be present in the mix... We're already eating a pretty interesting thing here

Best of luck!

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

In our family, we have fun writing Grocery Lists as follows:

Flesh of Bird
Flesh of Cow - Rib
Bovine Mammary Secretions
Microbially Digested Mammary Secretions (aka Cheese

Uh……… do you guys shop at Omega Mart?

 

[wrathsfarm]

Tell your hubby your future rooster is sterile... Then crack a grocery store egg and one of your eggs side by side and go.... "See, they're the same inside!!"

Just pray your egg don't have a blood spot or this all goes out the window and you have to back track...

 

[aart]

Eating fertilized eggs aside.

On another note... it might be helpful to talk to yourself about the "keeping every rooster" goal. It's not nice to the girls at all.

This^^^
Even 1 male with 3 females will not likely be a good thing.

 

[wrathsfarm]

if we do get one (or multiple that will be a different post for a different day)

I read this...

 

[Slh64]

There isn't "semen" in the egg... if an ova is fertilized it is a single sperm that makes it into the hens fertility product (I am saying this grossly to point out that eggs aren't the most appetizing if you really think about them either).

In our family, we have fun writing Grocery Lists as follows:

Flesh of Bird
Flesh of Cow - Rib
Bovine Mammary Secretions
Microbially Digested Mammary Secretions (aka Cheese)

It might be helpful to talk about what food really is. Especially the things he finds delicious!

On another note... it might be helpful to talk to yourself about the "keeping every rooster" goal. It's not nice to the girls at all. In nature, extra boys are picked off early as they attempt to prove themselves against threats, or are ostracized by the flock leader and at a survival disadvantage. A natural flock has one rooster, occasionally more if the number of hens is high.
When we try to force a situation where the ratio is unnatural, the hens always suffer. Your young boys will force the immature pullets, scare them, wait to pounce on them around the feed and water, pull feathers off their backs and even necks, and can hurt them badly. I have had a hen scalped by a roo, had to put her down. It's just not a fair situation.

I absolutely don’t want to put any chicken in a harmful or dangerous environment. And will take take steps if/when that comes to pass. The current issue is that I don’t want to get rid of anyone just because of sex without doing due diligence. They became a part of the farm as soon as we brought them home and deserve all efforts before they get given away or dispatched.

 

[Slh64]

Eating fertilized eggs aside.


This^^^
Even 1 male with 3 females will not likely be a good thing.

I’ve got 3 laying hens already. In addition to the 4 straight run chicks he brought home an additional 2 chicks a day later that were sexed and guaranteed hens. Would 1 roo to 8 hens be a good ratio?