How to decide which Roo to keep (and which to dispatch).

[Happy Novogens]

My youngest Roo is now 5 months old. He's starting to mount the gals he hatched with (6 of them). My older Roo isn't having that. He has his 5 gals. But all 13 chickens are housed together in a run.

From what I've been reading, I'll have to decide which Roo to keep and which to eat.

So two questions...

1. Will removing the older Roo be traumatic for the hens (particularly the older hens that are used to him).

2. The older Roo will be 3 years old in 3 months. Is that "old?" Would he still be edible?

If it matters, the older Roo is a Bielefelder. The younger Roo, and the rest of that hatch, are a mix of that Bielefelder and ISA Browns.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

Good animal husbandry dictates that you remove the older male and replace with the younger one. Killing the younger bird isn't good practice. That being said, I would choose the bird that is the best match for the flock dynamic. Yes, removing the older one will create a change in structure, but I doubt there will be "trauma". Birds are resilient. And yes, 3 years old might be on the tough side. I recommend pressure cooking or slow cooking all day for older birds. Best wishes with whatever you choose!

 

[Happy Novogens]

Thank you for your reply. That is helpful!