Just had to get rid of my little cockerel... feeling bad

[UrbanFarmerGirl]

Guess I just need to share- hoping someone will understand. Of the 4 eggs we hatched, 2 were roos. Regulations prevent us from keeping them, but we were able to re-home both. One- the Silver Spangled Hamburg - went to a fabulous home with someone from BYC. The other- the EE- is in a pet situation, where they won't eat him. He's the one I feel bad about.

When I dropped him off the people had him in an ok setup- but they had a ragtag mix of feedstore rejects, and the coop was sort of slapped together with chicken wire and scrap boards and staples. He will have space, companionship, food, water and bedding.... but talking to them I could tell they didn't know very much about chicken keeping, and he didn't have a big beautiful run like he had with me. I know he is still living a better life than factory birds- but I am feeling bad. He was a beautiful and friendly boy, and I wouldn've kept him if I was allowed. I miss him. Never thought I'd say that about a rooster. Am I crazy? I think I was extra attached after watching him in the egg, and seeing our broody mama raise him. He'll have a good life, right?

That's him, on the right:

 

[jadeybaby70]

I can understand your sadness

I have a little blue splash wheaten ameraucana who is my little love..... I am not allowed to have roosters either but he isn't crowing and I am praying he will not. I have the feeling that if it comes down to it, I might move to hold on to him. My dog killed his sister when they were about four weeks old and he became very attached to me. He spends the day in the coop with the girls but comes to the door at night for bed. He has his own little cage in the house where he sleeps at night. I'll keep it like this because if he does start crowing, we can keep him in so he's not so loud for the neighbors. I just can't bare to part with him, he coos and talks to me and follows me around everywhere. I just love my little Edwin. He's my little man

 

[SierraView]

It's hard letting them go. I have some that sit in my lap that I know might have to find a new home. Unless I convince my husband to build a new coop for roosters

Sounds like your guy will be happy. Chickens don't care what their coop looks like as long as they have food, water, shade on hot days and dry spot on wet days. If he has some hens he will be a happy rooster.

 

[ChestnutRidge]

Hopefully, they are kind-hearted and will treat him well. Animals live in the moment, and he will adapt. He will get to have a little rooster life with ladies to run after and defend. He'll have food, water, shelter, and company. He will be okay, and the owners may continue to educate themselves about chickens and their husbandry may slowly improve over time.

You did right by him in finding him a home where he will get to be rooster and do rooster-y things. But it's okay to miss him. I rehomed my first cockerel yesterday myself and spent a good part of the afternoon looking back through my pictures of him since he was a chick. It's bittersweet, just like anytime something grows up and "leaves the nest."

 

[bustermommy]

It sounds like his new owners are starting out and don't have a lot of money. Give them time. Your judgment was that they were kind, so my guess is that as things improve for them, as they hopefully will, their setup will also improve. In the meantime, he gets girls, girls, girls!

 

[Ksane]

I'd feel horrible, too. I can't bear to let them go after putting so much time into raising them-dogs, cats, baby sick lambs from some crappy auction.....chicks Now that I'm over 50 I finally figured out the secret-I don't ever allow an animal to step foot on this place unless I plan on taking care of it the next 12 yrs :-/ I'm not one of those people that falls for sob stories and I'm not naive and don't "feel sorry" for every animal I come across. But something about raising them from babies and then parting with them......I don't have the mindset that allows me to do that. I'm broken. If it would ease your mind you can call the new owners in a week or so to double check that he's doing ok. Sometimes that helps.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Maybe you need to point his new owners to BYC !

 

[April's Chicken Ranch]

I have to rehome 3 roo's this weekend & I feel HORRIBLE! I KNOW they are going to my friend who will love them & they get to have a good life there but I LOVE them all. I raised them from a day old, they all are so sweet & friendly. I'm going to bring my picture's in tomorrow & post them on here.I'm hoping against hope that the ones I think are boys MIGHT be girls?? I can hope right... I mean I am still new at this sexing thing.

I'm keeping 2 as I have 20 girls, I'm keeping Chester & my little Hoppy because he has a messed up leg but it doesn't stop him from being "The Man". LOl.. So I feel your loss, it sucks.

 

[UrbanFarmerGirl]

Thank you thank you thank you. Just reading this makes me feel better- knowing that I am not going crazy. Nobody else understands why I actually shed tears over a rooster. They think it's too crazy. Thank you for letting me know it is not totally crazy to love an animal even if it is an illegal, edible, strange animal that you never imagined you would feel so attached to.

Jadeybaby- I actually have moved to keep a crazy crazy rescue dog and rehabilitate him, because my neighbors couldn't tolerate his barking and whining. It cost us increased rent, a lost deposit, and the pain of finding a subletter and moving... but it was worth it. He is a pnce-in-a-lifetime dog, who has become a well behaved therapy dog now, and we love him so much. I actually talked with my husband about moving so that we could keep the roosters too. We know we probably have to move in a year, but if we were contemplating living in the area permanently, the roosters probably would have been a strong push towards relocating. We thought about keeping him until he crowed just on the off chance he didn't but I thought he might be more adaptable and adoptable at this cute and friendly stage. I really do miss him.

You did right by him in finding him a home where he will get to be rooster and do rooster-y things. But it's okay to miss him. I rehomed my first cockerel yesterday myself and spent a good part of the afternoon looking back through my pictures of him since he was a chick. It's bittersweet, just like anytime something grows up and "leaves the nest."

ChestnutRidge- I did that too- looked at pictures of my little guy, and the Mama and brother that we also no longer have, and felt bittersweet about the whole thing. I'm glad I hatched him. I learned from him, and gave him the best possible start. That's something good from all of the hard stuff.

I think it is true- the people who took him were kind. They didn't have a lot of money or knowledge but they were planning on building a bigger run and re-enforcing the coop, and I hope that they will. Bless their hearts for taking a rooster- and for building their flock up out of bow-legged and small and sick chicks that nobody would buy at the feed store. I think they will do the best that they can.

I'm feeling better about it today. We knew we could accommodate 7-8 chickens very comfortably. Because the roosters had to leave, we were able to add another type of chicken that we really like- Marans, to our tiny flock. We don't care about breeding them, just want some dark eggs for fun, so we took two who wouldn't make the cut for someone looking to breed. One has imperfect coloration, and the other has a serious foot deformity and we had to build her a special ramp and perch. I am trying to turn the void left by the rooster into something positive for these little chicks.

Thanks again everyone. I so needed the hugs and support.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

That is very sad. Maybe you can point the EE/pet family to BYC.