I think I need to cull my rooster

[JuneBug333]

This is my first flock, 13 months old now. He's been the friendliest one and just last week he was cuddling up to me and falling asleep while I held him. The problem is he's becoming more aggressive.

He has what I call "bird brain" moments where he starts staring at my clucker clogs (the shoes I wear every time I'm with them) and I can tell he's scared/on edge. If I move the wrong way he will attack them and me. I just got kicked in the ankle with an instant bruise and he nipped at my hand causing it to bleed.

So yeah...I can't have that.

He also has a major hump in his back and a twisted leg which has never seemed to slow him down but I wonder if he's ever in pain.

I'm thinking cone method, should I try to find someone local to walk me through the process the first time? I don't want to botch anything.

I don't see this behavior getting better. Makes me sad because I loved it when he would cuddle me BUT he really hurts me sometimes.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well it's always best to learn how to cull when keeping chickens. Letting them all just die isn't always an option. Sometimes you have to cull. It's a part of the hobby.

Cuddly roosters seem to turn on their keepers often. I believe they think they can dominate you. Good luck.

@aart I know butchers her own birds and is very practical. Hopefully she can give some advice.

 

[dalasgalas]

I had to cull my lovely Buff Orpington roo for the same reasons. Sometimes they can be put in their place but it takes work and doesn't always work out in the end.

I'm no expert. There are many others on this forum that are absolute culling experts that can guide you.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

I have never culled before but I can’t imagine how sad it must be

 

[JuneBug333]

This may sound mean but the more I walk around with a smarting ankle the less sad I feel about the idea =\
My husbands great great grandmother got attacked by a rooster and immediately just snapped his neck for dinner that night.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

This may sound mean but the more I walk around with a smarting ankle the less sad I feel about the idea =\
My husbands great great grandmother got attacked by a rooster and immediately just snapped his neck for dinner that night.

I get it I really do. We were going to cull one of our hens bc she was mean and we had babies around but forunately a hawk got her so we never had to kill her. I was going to be so sad!

 

[coach723]

After trying several methods (most good, one not so much) I finally settled on this one. Easy to do, quick and you can walk away after and catch your breath for a few minutes if necessary. For me, this one is humane, nondramatic and relatively mistake proof, even if it's your first time. Best wishes, unfortunately sooner or later it will have to happen when you keep chickens. The best way to do it is the way you are most comfortable with, which can be different for everyone.
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Makes me sad because I loved it when he would cuddle me BUT he really hurts me sometimes.

That is the unfortunate fate that will face many inexperienced rooster keepers who make them into lap pets.

He doesn't respect you or your space and now sees you as a challenge to be taken down that he isn't afraid of. In the chicken world "FEAR" equals respect. While some boys CAN be reformed (many rooster training threads)... that wasn't my experience... and I'm not gonna lie the meaner the roo the sweeter the stew! The only thing I regret is waiting so long it almost ruined my rooster keeping experience forever.

I use the cone method... made form a bleach bottle. I recently tried the broomstick method on an injured boy that was too small for my cone and kept falling through. NIGHTMARE experience and I won't be trying THAT again. My fist cone process didn't go SUPER smooth... as it is a learning process where and how deep to cut and not worry about cutting your hand as well... But we did get through that one and haven't become vegetarian yet! I AM super thankful NOW for the SKILL to dispatch with confidence that I'm not causing more suffering... as surely some of the hens I care about will also face accidents or illness eventually.

After this last incident though... I am considering using slip knots around the ankles that will hold ALL sized birds instead of the cone. But the cone is by far MY preferred method thus far. The ax... just ain't gonna happen... as I am prone to chopping my own leg off AND I like the containment offered by the cone. I am a house wife and do this by myself.

Culling isn't really SAD... but it is difficult. It's a dirty job... that SOMEONE has to do for all of us who eat meat yet have NO clue about where our food comes from. Having a deeper connection, gives a sense of gratitude and your place in this world... knowing that the circle of life happens and for us to live something else dies! We have modified our consumption INDEED now that we KILL our own animals. Or more like a wake up call that if MORE people experienced we MIGHT be able to live a more balanced life. And NO it doesn't make you a heartless killer... I still cry when something happens, like losing my head rooster this past year. It caught me off guard (and I did process him for the freezer), but I'm SOOO glad to know that despite my choice to eat our extra cockerels, it has NOT become EASY in any sense of the word.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

After trying several methods (most good, one not so much) I finally settled on this one. Easy to do, quick and you can walk away after and catch your breath for a few minutes if necessary. For me, this one is humane, nondramatic and relatively mistake proof, even if it's your first time. Best wishes, unfortunately sooner or later it will have to happen when you keep chickens. The best way to do it is the way you are most comfortable with, which can be different for everyone.
https://www.muranochickenfarm.com/2017/06/the-easiest-way-to-cull-chicken.html

Thanks for posting that link. I think it's important people learn how to cull a chicken when necessary. A sick or injured bird sometimes needs help leaving this world quickly, and butchering should always be done as humanely as possible.

 

[aart]

@aart I know butchers her own birds and is very practical. Hopefully she can give some advice.

I use the cone and jugular/carotid slit method when slaughtering cockerels and old hens for meat. Kills and drains at same time. Yes, you need a good sharp knife, a knowledge of the anatomy(which I found here), and hardest is avoiding cutting thru the feathers(they don't cut easily), you need to go mostly between them. All that takes some practice, I've had several 'bad cuts' including one of my own fingers, before getting better at it. You also need good cone, I built mine from flashing aluminum using dimensions from a commercial cone.

For euthanizing a sick bird I don't intend to eat, I use the broomstick cervical dislocation method. Some use this for meat harvesting too. I did a lot of research and finally found a vid that didn't remove the head. It ended up being easier than I thought and removed the 'bloody' aspect.
-Notice the slight divot in the ground under the stick and neck, this will keep the bird from being choked as you get them set up.
-Notice that she slowly stretches out the neck and legs before giving the short sharp jerk that breaks the neck close to the skull, this is key to success IMO.

Spoiler: Cervical Dislocation is shown in this video at about 1:00

No one method will be without some emotional trauma to the keeper, the first time I killed a bird I had the adrenaline shakes for a good 20 minutes, and all have possibilities of 'not going well'.