Just how useful is a rooster anyway?

[Redhead Rae]

That's beautiful! I wish I had the cojones to process my own meat birds, but I know my limitations ... including "space" which is what I'll blame it on ... {{{Sigh}}}

Thanks, I love them they are great birds.

This is what his living brother looks like.

This is what is father, Fat Daddy, looks like. Don't worry about the blood, he's fine now. He got into a fight with the son shown above.

I know not everyone can cull their own birds for meat. I started doing it 2 years ago. I've learned a lot since then. I've probably culled close to 75 roosters now, I've lost count.

 

[MROO]

View attachment 1674191 View attachment 1674192 View attachment 1674193 View attachment 1674194 View attachment 1674199 View attachment 1674202 View attachment 1674206 Here you go...pictures!

Okay, I gotta ask. Just what is that birdie in the bathtub? I can see it's a Blue ... and definitely a "Splash," both literally and figuratively. It's some sort of Austrailian chicken, right?

 

[Redhead Rae]

Okay, I gotta ask. Just what is that birdie in the bathtub? I can see it's a Blue ... and definitely a "Splash," both literally and figuratively. It's some sort of Austrailian chicken, right?

 

[Lady Lionheart]

Please don't stop responding, though! You have one of the best understandings of flock dynamics I've come across, here. You've definitely helped me understand my roos better and as a result, they are happier (and longer lived!)
Oh ... and I have to add a goofy thought that has had me chuckling over the "Kill The Rooster!" description. Anyone remember that old Bugs Bunny cartoon where Elmer Fudd is stalking Bugs singing "Kill the Wabbit!"? I now have this visual/music worm stuck in my head of Elmer, carrying an axe instead of his oversized shotgun, singing "Kill the Wooster, kill the Wooster, Kill the WOOSTER!" I won't be able to walk past my coop with a straight face for DAYS!

Unrelated to post, but I just wanted to say that your happiness and kindness is contagious! Thank you for bringing a smile to my (and others) face!

 

[perchie.girl]

No. Because my inner dialogue doesn’t cause any harm to my flock, which really would be the only reason to be sarcastic or dismissive of a new flockster just sharing thoughts and getting info.

I think its just a product of hearing so many not pointing at you but so many criticising rooster behavior. Alot of us share from our own experiences examples... Because each experience can be way different. Besides There is no assumption on my part as to how experienced a person is just by a limited set of posts.



deb

 

[perchie.girl]

He looks a little shorter today ... and much quieter!

 

[Abriana]

In my opinion, a rooster is very useful and helpful. Once they get past their teenager years, they calm down, stop chasing the girls, and become dignified adults with jobs. Napoleon (my rooster) was not of much use as a cockerel (but I loved him, so I kept him), but as he grew up he earned his right to stay with all his ladies when he attacked a hawk and won in defense of the hens. He has done this several times. He also alerts them for any little thing, be it a hawk or a butterfly (better safe than sorry, he thinks). When he sees a potentially dangerous bird, he makes a noise that means "I see something, be alert." and if it turns out to be dangerous, he tells them to go under the coop (and they do!).

Sometimes, roosters do turn out to be lazy cowards. They are freeloading in this case, and there is no need to keep them. Treat him well during his life, and enjoy him at dinner.

Hopefully he calms down (I have a little cockerel that I'm keeping in a run within the chicken pen until he chills out and I can see what kind of roo he turns out to be) and you can keep and enjoy him

 

[centrarchid]

I just setup two breeding groups of American Games. Each group is a single pair (1 male, 1 female). One rooster is very calm investing effort in courting his hen. The other is bit of a butt munch that a couple of months ago was expressing a tendency to be a man-fighter. Both have been handled extensively. The first by literally hundreds of humans when he was a chick through juvenile stages. The other to calm him and break him of man-fighting.

Some of my roosters are purposely kept so they can be co-mingled with immature chickens so they suppress aggression issues with the immature birds.

The roosters vary in behavior because of genetics, age, past experience, and current situation.

And it is snowing here. Truck is hung up and my ears are so cold they hurt.

 

[MROO]

I just setup two breeding groups of American Games. Each group is a single pair (1 male, 1 female). One rooster is very calm investing effort in courting his hen. The other is bit of a butt munch that a couple of months ago was expressing a tendency to be a man-fighter. Both have been handled extensively. The first by literally hundreds of humans when he was a chick through juvenile stages. The other to calm him and break him of man-fighting.

Some of my roosters are purposely kept so they can be co-mingled with immature chickens so they suppress aggression issues with the immature birds.

The roosters vary in behavior because of genetics, age, past experience, and current situation.

And it is snowing here. Truck is hung up and my ears are so cold they hurt.

Putting youngsters in with a patient, older roo has definitely worked for me. I have a young Nankin Bantam cockerel that is shaping up into a nice potential flock rooster. He's only still here because I didn't have a spare pullet, last summer. That's important, because we mostly breed to share pairs with other 4H youngsters. It's our way of helping promote and save the breed.

"Jackson" has been in the main coop with his sire, two hens and three 8 month old pullets. I don't know if it's because he learned from an older rooster or from the two older hens, or a little bit of both, but he's respectful of everyone - people and chicken alike. Now that he's been here a bit, he may actually be staying. He's got impeccable manners and is quite a handsome young fellow. If he stays small, he may just step into his Daddy's spurs!

And I'm sorry to hear about more snow mess! It was (totally unseasonably) 60 in Maryland, today, which has not quite melted the snowy mess that fell right after the polar vortex left, last week. As I look out over the mud and the muck and the dirt-blackened mess that currently passes for my yard, I could cry for my long, lost flip-flops. Spring can't come soon enough for me!

And keep those ears warm! Frostbite might be common on roosters, but you don't need it on YOUR comb!

 

[Curnow]

Okay, I gotta ask. Just what is that birdie in the bathtub? I can see it's a Blue ... and definitely a "Splash," both literally and figuratively. It's some sort of Austrailian chicken, right?

The blue "birdie" in the bathtub is a Blue Heeler aka Australian Cattle Dog pup. Her name is Finnigan. She has only 3 feet. She came from a breeder of show and woking dogs, but one of her front paws was badly injured in a gate at about 14 weeks old and had to be amputated. We gave her a home rather than the breeder putting her down. It slowes her down some, but the drive and natural instinct is still quite intact. Oh, and she loves water and sitting in the kiddie pool! She is just over a year old now and quite the dog for sure!