My Morality vs Culling, Again

[VanUnamed]

My sense of justice is that the aggressive/bully has to go, not the victim.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My sense of justice is that the aggressive/bully has to go, not the victim.

Only we humans disregard the laws of nature, and the survival of the fittest and favor the weak. I find that interesting.

 

[Willowspirit]

Solve for a flock that you like. Solve for peace in the flock. If they don't fit, it is perfectly fine to cull them.

Very wisely said.

 

[Willowspirit]

Only we humans disregard the laws of nature, and the survival of the fittest and favor the weak. I find that interesting.

Survival of the fittest in Darwinian terms doesn’t necessarily mean the biggest, meanest, strongest but the ones who are the best adapted to reproduce. In domesticated animals we want to select ourselves the ones that suit our reproductive goals the best. It’s probably best for our flocks not to allow offspring from the bullies but rather the chickens that are calm and get along with others. The stress of being bullied (or even bullying for that matter) reduces laying, egg or meat quality and shortens lives. IMHO neither of these hens would qualify to reproduce and with no eggs, some would not want them at all.

 

[Pickled Plaid]

We culled our first aggressive rooster today. I've not trusted him for several months, but he'd settle down, and I'd think I was just being too hard on him.

Welp. Yesterday he flat out attacked me, spurs and all - from behind while I was carrying my one year old son. If I hadn't been wearing jeans, I'd have needed stiches.

He let go, and ran back to his girls. But came at me even more intensely from the front as I tried to get back indoors. I've never kicked a chicken before, but I felt like I needed to meet aggression with aggression.

I've asked my husband to rehome that bird for months. Yesterday I told him that he must be culled. Rehoming him now would only pass the problems to another family.

I hated knowing he had to die. I dreaded it all day.

But honestly, everyone was so peaceful tonight. All the birds seemed relieved he was gone. I could finally visit my girls and relax with them again.

I'm not waiting so long next time. I'll trust my gut. An aggressive or generally unstable bird isn't good for anyone.

 

[VanUnamed]

We culled our first aggressive rooster today. I've not trusted him for several months, but he'd settle down, and I'd think I was just being too hard on him.

Welp. Yesterday he flat out attacked me, spurs and all - from behind while I was carrying my one year old son. If I hadn't been wearing jeans, I'd have needed stiches.

He let go, and ran back to his girls. But came at me even more intensely from the front as I tried to get back indoors. I've never kicked a chicken before, but I felt like I needed to meet aggression with aggression.

I've asked my husband to rehome that bird for months. Yesterday I told him that he must be culled. Rehoming him now would only pass the problems to another family.

I hated knowing he had to die. I dreaded it all day.

But honestly, everyone was so peaceful tonight. All the birds seemed relieved he was gone. I could finally visit my girls and relax with them again.

I'm not waiting so long next time. I'll trust my gut. An aggressive or generally unstable bird isn't good for anyone.

Don't feel too bad for him. I raise meat birds (not cornish cross) when the four month mark arrives, they start to fight with one another, when all are gone, or maybe one only is left the peace is unique.