I have to ask....

[slavedriver01]

Why doni see so many people selling laying hens and roosters on sites like kijiji? I'm a noob so maybe I will some day too but....usually the reason is "downsizing". But it makes me wonder, if you're downsizing, wouldn't you feed your family with them instead?

 

[chikkenfriend]

Don't know kijiji. Downsizing, this I know. I have to sell two hens and a rooster. My birds are flourishing. I am ever grateful.

But they are overcrowding now. We can't have that. They need their space. And they are young. Too young (and oh hell, you might as well know, too loved, to kill). This roo is gorgeous. He will make someone's flock grow. I want this for him. He's a good roo. But I have three.

The hens, they're still young. We'll eat one or two. But we're just two people. And our freezer is full. Besides, these are hens that jump in our laps the instant we sit down. Or, they sit on my wife's head. Kinda hard to kill for no other reason.

It's just the two of us and we've killed the others. Non producers and those that are of the right age. Sometimes, we need to rehome.

We love them all. Especially the ones we eat.

 

[slavedriver01]

Yeah the loving part I'm beginning to understand. We still haven't gotten to the point where we are overcrowded. But we also haven't come to a time that we are ready to kill one either. And I can't really picture it happening. We have 6 Roos living peacefully (now) with 4 hens together....hopefully it stays that way!

 

[chikkenfriend]

WOW!!! 6 roos!! That is crazy!! It's gotta be a madhouse there! That many roos with so few hens, it'll get wild soon, i think!

Best of luck!! But i think you'll soon see where we come from. Too many roos for the hens you have.

All the best

 

[slavedriver01]

Lol! I know it's quite noisy but they seem to get along fine so far. Still young though! We are picking up 9 more hens on Sunday. But still....yikes. We'll be watching that's for sure!

 

[chikkenfriend]

more hens!! get more hens!! LOL

 

[Howlet]

i never could imaging culling one of mine >.<

 

[donrae]

I have an ad up on CL right now. I have half a dozen 2 year old barred Rock hens I just don't have space for anymore, due to a new breeding project catching my fancy. I really don't want to butcher 2 year old hens, they've still got a lot of laying in them. But, if I don't get the price I'm asking, we'll butcher them and either eat them or feed them to the pigs. I'm not going to give them away.

I also have an ad for cockerels. I sold a pure Ameraucana rooster, and two adorable little bantam cochin guys. I have mixed breed cockerels and blue barred sex link cockerels. I'm listing them on the off chance someone wants new flock rooster, but again am not going to give them away. I'm re-arranging everyone to have a cockerel grow-out pen, and lots of chicken enchiladas this winter

Lots of folks just can't bring themselves to process their own birds.