How to cull a rooster when you don't want too?

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

My question is why can’t you keep them? I’m only asking this because I too have silkies and would like to eventually have a rooster and I thought that roosters that grow up around other roosters will squabble over pecking order like hens do and then realize who the “ king” is . Silkie roosters are also pretty docile from what my friends have said about theirs . I could never cull a silkie maybe because they are like kittens to me . I hope you will be able to find homes for them . I will keep you in mind when I’m ready for a rooster .

I can't keep all of the boys because I have too many.. but will see how they all get along, if there's too much fighting or overmating then some have to go, I already seperated another cockerel because of overmating. However, no fighting between boys had occurred so that's good. When my younger ones grow up a bit more is when I'll have issues.

 

[Rose Quartz]

At the beginning the way I convinced myself was by saying to myself once they're in the killing spot where ever I'd chosen, they can't go back to the pen. It's stressful on them to be taken multiple times and then released. They can tell you're upset, it's kinder to get it over with.

I usually wait until 12 week min for culling because I eat my boys too, and that's a better size for my family.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I hate knocking off excess roosters or ones that have attacked my kids, too.

After a very emotionally upsetting incident where I learned that "wringing a chicken's neck" doesn't actually kill the bird, I decided it was less cruel to set the bird loose where my eat-chickens-that-hop-the-fence dogs could get it. I chain the dogs up, set the chicken where they can get it once free, and let them loose. I know it seems cruel to kill it by letting dogs get it, but really, no "crueler" than the bird of mine killed by a hawk, and definitely better than my attempt at killing one with my hands...

Hmm.. well I don't fully agree with you there. Broomstick method I found is quick, easy and chicken dead in a second..rather then killed by dog that may not kill chicken in a second without infliticing pain. Although I don't know how dogs kill so maybe they kill it in a second without inflicting pain? Then that would be a great easy solution!

 

[citymeetscountry]

I don’t have a good answer. We had to get rid of our beloved 25 week cockerel yesterday. Of course my favorite of the bunch... He was beautiful and has been so so sweet (until this week). He attempted to attack me Tues and I brushed it off as a fluke/early morning raging hormones BUT yesterday he attacked our 5 year old (who is usually our animal whisper-I mean a real life Disney princess with the way she is with animals and they are to her). We had always said if he became aggressive to the girls he would just be completely free range (and susceptible to predators) but if he became aggressive towards us he had to go. Thankfully we had made arrangements with our neighbor across the way (that has 85 chickens) months ago if we ever needed it. So I called him yesterday and we dropped off my beloved Snoozie in a crate and he returned the crate today. I am hoping he was processed and becomes someone’s meal and not just discarded. The amount I have cried since yesterday is ridiculous. Even our daughter has been crying out for him. Her and our 7 year old don’t understand why we couldn’t just put him in his own area and keep him there. Our 4 remaining girls were very loud and sounded like they were crying for him this morning. But lo and behold 3 of the 4 laid today (a record) and I believe 1 was a first egg. I think they were over his need to mate first thing in the morning so they’ll be happier in the long run.

The pic is from when we first brought him home to about 23ish weeks.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Letting a dog kill your chicken because you can't do it yourself is cruel and irresponsible.

It helps if you tell yourself why you have to do it. It's not quite as personal if you have a legitimate reason (mean, too many, bad attitude towards hens) that you can voice outloud

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

I don’t have a good answer. We had to get rid of our beloved 25 week cockerel yesterday. Of course my favorite of the bunch... He was beautiful and has been so so sweet (until this week). He attempted to attack me Tues and I brushed it off as a fluke/early morning raging hormones BUT yesterday he attacked our 5 year old (who is usually our animal whisper-I mean a real life Disney princess with the way she is with animals and they are to her). We had always said if he became aggressive to the girls he would just be completely free range (and susceptible to predators) but if he became aggressive towards us he had to go. Thankfully we had made arrangements with our neighbor across the way (that has 85 chickens) months ago if we ever needed it. So I called him yesterday and we dropped off my beloved Snoozie in a crate and he returned the crate today. I am hoping he was processed and becomes someone’s meal and not just discarded. The amount I have cried since yesterday is ridiculous. Even our daughter has been crying out for him. Her and our 7 year old don’t understand why we couldn’t just put him in his own area and keep him there. Our 4 remaining girls were very loud and sounded like they were crying for him this morning. But lo and behold 3 of the 4 laid today (a record) and I believe 1 was a first egg. I think they were over his need to mate first thing in the morning so they’ll be happier in the long run.

The pic is from when we first brought him home to about 23ish weeks.

Thank you for your reply, sad about your rooster but good you had a solution at the ready.
You can't risk safety of your kids or yourself, so you did the right thing.

 

[ChassiNoir]

I’m glad you found a home for your rooster!

 

[catballou]

I don’t have a good answer. We had to get rid of our beloved 25 week cockerel yesterday. Of course my favorite of the bunch... He was beautiful and has been so so sweet (until this week). He attempted to attack me Tues and I brushed it off as a fluke/early morning raging hormones BUT yesterday he attacked our 5 year old (who is usually our animal whisper-I mean a real life Disney princess with the way she is with animals and they are to her). We had always said if he became aggressive to the girls he would just be completely free range (and susceptible to predators) but if he became aggressive towards us he had to go. Thankfully we had made arrangements with our neighbor across the way (that has 85 chickens) months ago if we ever needed it. So I called him yesterday and we dropped off my beloved Snoozie in a crate and he returned the crate today. I am hoping he was processed and becomes someone’s meal and not just discarded. The amount I have cried since yesterday is ridiculous. Even our daughter has been crying out for him. Her and our 7 year old don’t understand why we couldn’t just put him in his own area and keep him there. Our 4 remaining girls were very loud and sounded like they were crying for him this morning. But lo and behold 3 of the 4 laid today (a record) and I believe 1 was a first egg. I think they were over his need to mate first thing in the morning so they’ll be happier in the long run.

The pic is from when we first brought him home to about 23ish weeks.

I have two to get rid of and I'm stuck. I love them both but they were supposed to be pullets to add to my big flock of two older hens. Two roos and two hens is not a good combination.

 

[MTR]

How do you bring yourself to cull a rooster because you have too many?

I have let my Silkies breed and produce cute little fluffy things but I know I will have too many roosters, so after trying to sell them with no response, how do you bring yourself to cull a rooster that you keep just because you can't bring yourself to do the cull?
I would never treat my chickens bad and always feed and care for every one of them, rooster or not, but I don't want to keep roosters in a seperate bachelor coop. I admit I already have a cockerel separate in another coop because he looks good so I have kept him and given him some pullets for company but I have a young 9 week old that I know I will not want to breed with and he isn't a unique colour so I have been trying to sell him. Do I give him a few more weeks up for sale or do I cull? And if cull, how do I bring myself to cull it?
I have only killed one chicken in my life when she was very sick and I tried everything to help her, she was near dead so I ended her suffering poor girl, I was so upset about doing it but knew I had to do it to end her pain. So how on earth would I kill a perfectly healthy chicken!? And just because I don't want it? I feel so bad! How can I kill him if he doesn't sell? How do I bring myself to do it!? Is it better to do it young or just allow him to grow up a little more and live out his little life?

Have someone who knows how teach you. Most of the difficulty is never having done it before (I was raised hunting and butchering so I was conditioned to understand the real circle of life). It’s never enjoyable but can be way better with efficiency.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If you are willing, I've entertained the idea of offering to "sponsor" my rooster if I had to rehome him. If you donate money to a rescue, they may be more open to taking him.

And - this is insane - have you thought about keeping house roosters? I had to do this for a bit when we were between houses. I was staying with my mom, and her neighbors could not suffer my boy's crowing. So, while we were waiting for the paperwork to clear on our new house, we diapered our boy and brought him inside. He still crowed, but not as much, and we just kept him in a large crate at night in another part of the house, so it wasn't that bad. And he ran around the house during the day. He was quite happy. Might be able to bring just one in and see if the flock settles down.

Crazy. I know.
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That is some beautiful feathering!