How To Raise A Rooster

[ChickenLife]

He looks to be a sweetie and if he sticks with his girls I think there is hope. I do not have any older hens just the babies raised together 9 Bantam hens and 8 Bantam Roosters. My gang is 17 weeks and are is busy being boys its unreal some times. They are all so different in how they treat their hen litter mates. Some of the roosters stay with a chosen hen or hens and other stay be them selves and they all crow up a storm. They do fight because I find them with blood combs, usually in the mornings early. They are a happy bunch other wise and I do want to keep them that way, so I thought if I got rid of the spurs it would help. I really do not want to maim my babies, but I would like them to be self from one another. If was going to do it, it needs to be done soon. They are so beautiful and proud and happy.

 

[newbie32]

Excuse my ignorance but what are the spears? why have I never heard of them being cut off? why do they need to be cut off? I am on this site ALL the time and this is first mention of it

. Usually the old timers mention what I have learned thus far

 

[chynasparks]

I haven't got a choice but to pick up my rooster. I have 4 chickens. 2 RIRs and 2 Buff Orpingtons. They were all supposed to be pullets but one of the reds turned out to be a rooster. He's becoming quite beautiful. I've handled all of them since I got them. I can't free range so I carry them to a separate run and back. I stopped holding him at length when I realized he was a roo. They are 18 weeks. As I mentioned, I can't free range. He's not mean but I'm worried that will change. I don't have a choice in the way I am raising them. They are only carried to and from the moveable run. When in the main enclosure I go in to feed and water them. I hand feed them mealworms. The girls love them, jump up and down till I put my hand down with a handful. Bill stands back and watch them eat and occasionally takes a bite. Do you think I'm contributing to some future mean behavior?

 

[Fancychooklady]

...

Excuse my ignorance but what are the spears? why have I never heard of them being cut off? why do they need to be cut off? I am on this site ALL the time and this is first mention of it . Usually the old timers mention what I have learned thus far
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Spurs, are the roosters weapons of choice. They are located on the inside of the leg, used to fight other Roos and predators.
If you google " spur removal " you will see an interesting youtube clip using nothing more than a hot potato. Haven't tried it myself, but if I was going to remove spurs I think I would give this a go first.

 

[newbie32]

Okay thanks. Do only roosters get them? I haven't noticed any on my chicks

 

[Fancychooklady]

Okay thanks. Do only roosters get them? I haven't noticed any on my chicks

Well technically speaking yes, only roosters are supposed to grow them, but my friend has a leghorn that has the longest spurs I have ever seen. She swears it lays eggs. Most Roos won't have full blown spurs until they are mature. My light sussex, coro sussex and silver laced Wyandotte are all 12 months old, and don't have much more than a nub. My buff sussex roo and gold laced Wyandotte roo injured each other so Badley that one is a cripple and the other had to be put down. He got spurred through the hock and suffered from infection. So that would be a good argument for spur removal.

 

[newbie32]

So I don't need to worry about flogging with spurs until mine is a year old then. I think I like the idea of removing it since I have no intention of getting hurt by them!

 

[aoxa]

Well technically speaking yes, only roosters are supposed to grow them, but my friend has a leghorn that has the longest spurs I have ever seen. She swears it lays eggs. Most Roos won't have full blown spurs until they are mature. My light sussex, coro sussex and silver laced Wyandotte are all 12 months old, and don't have much more than a nub. My buff sussex roo and gold laced Wyandotte roo injured each other so Badley that one is a cripple and the other had to be put down. He got spurred through the hock and suffered from infection. So that would be a good argument for spur removal.

Game hens grow them often, so do sumatra hens. It is not a rooster only trait. Many older hens get them.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Your roosters are your roosters do as with as you see fit.

Many if not most people on this forum keep roosters as a first (or maybe it's a final) line of defense for their hens. Whacking or burning off your roosters' spurs makes about as much sense in my book as an Old West cattle baron hiring a gun fighter to keep his cattle safe and then chopping his hired gun's trigger finger off. Oh Well!

Refer to my first sentence.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

So I don't need to worry about flogging with spurs until mine is a year old then. I think I like the idea of removing it since I have no intention of getting hurt by them!

I can't begin to count the times that a mean low down young spur-less rooster that I was handling for the first time bit my forearm, then twisted out a plug of meat... and swallowed it!

It is best if you learn how to avoid being the object of your roosters' defensive reflexes than it is learning how to run faster than a rooster runs, because believe it or not, your rooster will win that foot race every time.