keeping roo quiet!!

[bahamh]

Has anyone used the rooster collar? How did it work? We got 6 chicks this summer and well 1 is a rooster. There are no roos allowed in our town and really don't want fertilized eggs. We saw online a "rooster collar" and just wanted to see if anyone else had used with success. Also I'm assuming the only way to not have fertile eggs is to keep him seperate from the girls..
Any thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated

 

[chooks4life]

The rooster collar works well for some, not so well for others, and not at all for some. It can cause accidental death too. It might be worth the risk if it's your roosters' only chance for life but if you're going to separate him from the hens permanently he's probably going to lose the will to live anyway, lol... Depression is normal in social species kept in isolation.

If you don't want fertile eggs, since there's no way to ensure this without caponizing or separating the rooster, it's probably best that you get rid of the rooster, as they've very social birds and it drives them a bit off their rockers to be isolated from their own kind. Being able to see one another is not all they need, they are very family-oriented; normally they help find food, make nests, help keep an eye out for predators, help protect and feed offspring they have together, etc --- a roosters' instincts towards hens doesn't end with mating at all. They're exemplary 'husband'/father figures when in full possession of their instincts (not all domestic males retain the whole spectrum anymore though) and as with all animals with a strong family orientation they suffer psychologically when disallowed to live in their natural social unit. Chances are he would turn violent sooner or later; they come to recognize the source of their imprisonment and discontent.

Fertile eggs don't taste any different to infertile eggs; they still keep for a long time without developing if refrigerated or kept in a cool cupboard; the only real difference is the addition of a couple of amino acids, making the egg a true complete source of protein. Fertilized eggs are better for you. I think they keep a bit longer than infertile eggs, too, at least in my experience they do.

Best wishes.

 

[bahamh]

Thanks for the input. We are trying to find somewhere safe for him, but till then we'll give the collar a try

 

[chooks4life]

Best wishes with that, please let us know how it goes.