Human predator--rescue some roosters!

[polychickens]

I know the fault is mine for not learning enough about the behaviors of roosters before raising chickens.

This isn't turning out well. My children play in the yard and the chickens free range. Earlier today, DD was attacked by a rooster and found bleeding and screaming bloody murder. My wife couldn't get near the roo or she would have had it's head.

It nearly happened again this evening. He didn't actually get my daughter this time as I was outside and came to her rescue. I didn't actually catch him, but was able to hurt him quite badly when I launched the baseball in my hand and hit him squarely. He retreated to some thick spruces which saved his life...for now.

He would probably survive the injury, but I plan to bury him tonight at roost time(the only time I can touch the roos.) It'll spare him the incessant pecking that the others would inflict upon him now that he is weak.

I need a plan for the rest of the roosters before the next tragedy. They are around 18 weeks. Should I kill them off or do other people 'rescue' roosters? I need to thin them from 8 to maybe 3, so I can keep the roosters penned in the coop and run from now on. They are beautiful birds--especially the vibrantly colored brown leghorns, but my kids come first. I lose my cool when ANYTHING threatens my kids, and I know I'd 'go hillbilly' if this happened again.

Should I just kill off the roosters humanely tonight rather than risk the next incident?

Frustrating.
Polychickens

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

Unless you can find a home for him????Yes, if it was me and Hunter was at risk I would take care of the issue.It would not be without pain,but it would have to be done.

 

[polychickens]

Oh, I'm in south central Indiana if anyone wants some roosters.

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

give it alittle bit of time.The roo is only doing what he knows.What breed is he?

 

[whitjohn]

Young roosters remind me of teen-aged boys in their noise making and general rowdy behavior. If you have a dozen hens or less, you really only need one rooster to take care of your flock and I chose my rooster based on his leadership ability and personality...not his good looks. Fortunately he was also very handsome and so was an ideal leader and protector.
When the young guys reached that aggravating age, I went to the coop as I was closing up for the night (also free range) and quietly put the young guys in a pillow case, took them to the back fence and... well, they are tasty cooked right!

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

Lol.....ok i was gna say that.Yes ,my moma always says"I love to eat roosters!"Well shes right,they taste awfully good but id just try to find some good homes for them.Roosters have a strange habit of getting better when there not with others.Kinda like kids.

 

[Southern28Chick]

That rooster did what comes naturally to him. Nothing against your child but a rooster will do what he needs to when he feels threatened or if he feels his girls are in trouble. If you do not like what your roosters do then humanely kill him or rehome him. I have no clue how many hens you have but having 8 roosters is probably the reason you have a roo that wants to fight.

Be prepared for a bit of hateful words, people on here are not going to like the fact that you hit a chicken with a baseball!!!

If you hurt him badly then you should put him out of his misery tonight!

 

[justusnak]

I would process them for the freezer....no since wasteing good free dinners! I mean, you raised them, you paid for thier feed, and you deserve to eat them. I found, if you cook a rooster really slow, and I mean REALLY slow in the oven...it will be tender. We did ours at 275, smothered in butter and sage....covered tightly in foil....for about 3 hrs. yum yum yum!! I am in SE Indiana....but dont need any more Roos. LOL I have one to find a home for myself...A Cuckoo Maran...18 weeks or so. BEAUTIFULL....but if I cant find him a home...he will be tasty im sure.

I also wanted to say......I hope your daughter is ok. Poor kiddo. That can be sooo traumatizeing!

 

[CtlisencedArborist]

LMBO.......yup they are dang good!The home idea is more humane though!lol.....I do prefer my ladies!

 

[usbr]

Why not advertise a free rooster in the for sale section? Maybe somebody actually would want him for thier flock. Other than that, I would mention that he probally tastes like chicken. From where you live, I bet there are Amish in the area and they would probally take a few roosters, they eat them though.

You could always shoot it in the butt with a BB gun and it will learn not to do that again. (Joking, it wont work)

HTH