new member needing advice

[fergersonfarmchicks]

Hi, I am a 21 year old female whom is raising chickens for the first time. Warning this post is going to be pretty lengthy, but I’ll be as brief as possible. I have 16 chickens in total, 10 straight run wyandottes and 6 barred rock pullets. I knew in the beginning when getting the straight runs that we would eat the males and keep the hens. I had a brooder in place and fully set up at home awaiting my chicks, and an 10x8 chicken coop (not including the run) framed out at home. Buying chickens wasn’t a spur of the moment decision and the thought of eating them didn’t originally turn me off. I take very good care of all my birds, but I haven’t interacted with the wyandottes as much in fear I would become attached considering we didn’t know their sex. However, my favorite “pullet” from the sexed barred rocks is actually a male and the hatchery made a mistake. This was the only chicken out of the 16 that I actually hand picked, well pointed at and said “oh give me that one.” I loved the way he looked at first sight. He’s 6 weeks old now and everyday I’ve held him before I left for work and picked him up as soon as I get home. He sleeps on my chest, answers to my voice, and trusts me so much. My heart can not handle killing this bird. I cry uncontrollably when I think of it. I am afraid to sell or give him away due to the fact people chicken fight in areas close to mine. I am afraid he will become aggressive once he ages. I need advice on what to do in this situation because I originally had no plans of keeping a rooster long term and don’t know what to expect.

 

[hysop]

Does your area allow roosters?

If they do I would personally keep him and if he ends up turning into a meanie then you won’t feel bad eating him.

 

[fergersonfarmchicks]

Yes, the area I live in allows roosters. I just don’t know much about keeping them. Research and horror stories on here just turn me away from the thought. Do you keep a rooster? If so any advice on what to expect? I never imagined I would become so attached to a stinkin chicken, but here I am. I’ve hunted and gutted wild game practically my whole life and we’ve always had cattle. Killing has never been something I’ve taken lightly, but I’m always thankful to be able to provide. However I believe I’d rather someone put me upside down in a cone rather than it be this chicken.

 

[Mrs. K]

WE do understand. And often times, the rooster chick is the darling, as he is so brave and forward. People tend to take that as friendship and think of it as trust. Then the darling becomes the nightmare, and inexperienced people did not see it coming. They did not recognize the signs.

People tend to think of raising chickens are like raising puppies or kittens, whereas if you pet them, and cuddle them, they will be life long friends. Chickens really are not like that. In the pecking order, any two birds meet, and one bird is above and one bird is below. The lower bird lets the above bird sit on them, or preens them. And IMO that is the position you are taking when you cuddle and pet the rooster chick.

Rooster chicks, cockerels raised just with flock mates, become much bigger than the pullets and become sexually active much earlier than the pullets are ready. They often times become bullies, as there are no other birds that are larger and older than they are to teach them manners. I personally think you get a better rooster raised in a mule-generational flock, in a large amount of space, however, there is no way of raising roosters that work all of the time.

Roosters are a crap shoot, some work, some don't. Some roosters are real bullies to the pullets, some roosters (often times pets) have no fear of humans. Fear equates respect in the chicken flock. These roosters tend to become human aggressive, attacking children, then women, then men in that order most generally. Most people underestimate the violence of a rooster attack. Children under the age of 6 will take it in the face.

I would look around you, maybe there is a chicken club, or a 4-H group. Check at the feed store, there are other chicken people by you. See if they would like a nice rooster.

If you have small children, I strongly recommend removing him from your flock.You can certainly try and keep him, but have a plan B set up and ready to go, as in a crate to confine him, a net or poultry hook to catch him, and something to do with him at that point.

Roosters are a crap shoot. If he starts to fluff up at you, sneak behind you, crow incessantly while around you, give you the stink eye...those are all signs he is becoming human aggressive. A rooster that I am keeping for a flock master, gives way before me, gives me about 5 feet of room, and is just a little bit wary of me.

I love having a wonderful rooster, but not all roosters are wonderful roosters.

Mrs. K

 

[Ridgerunner]

You never know what sex you will get with straight run. Don't be shocked if you get 7 or even 8 of the same sex, could be either sex. That's just he way straight run works.

You fell for a very common trap. Even as hatchlings many cockerels are bolder and braver than most pullets, They seem to have more curiosity. That means they have more personalty. If you are wanting pullets never pick the ones with personality. It will get you every time.

Yeah, you read horror stories on here all the time about roosters. But think about it, chickens are not extinct. Somebody keeps roosters. It's not just hatcheries either. Many of us do. Many of us don't have problems. My main suggestion is that if you want to keep him, keep him. Your facilities are big enough. Then deal with the consequences, if there are any.

Some people that treat their cockerels the way you are treating the Wyandottes have good roosters an some have bad. Some people that cuddle like you are with the BR have good roosters, some have bad. People can have pretty strong feelings one way or the other. I personally do not treat mine anywhere close to how you treat that BR but I'm not going to tell you that you are guaranteed a disaster. It could work out and I'm not sure you could handle changing anyway. The only way you are going to know is to try it.

You do not have to do anything special to keep that cockerel. Nothing. Just raise him with the pullets.

There is a pretty good chance when he goes through puberty he will get pretty rough with the pullets. That's part of chickens growing up. If you can make it until when he and the pullets mature into adults things should calm down. But as someone said watching juveniles go through puberty is often not for the faint of heart. Don't be surprised if you start to feel sorry for your pullets then.

 

[Mrs. K]

Ridge runner - gives good advice, as usual.

 

[TSP]

On roosters...
I hatched out a bunch of chicks this past winter. They are Bielefelders. I got an even mix of pullets and cockerels and wanted to keep a couple Roos to be able to hatch my own. I gave away six cockerels to locals who raise barnyard mixed breeds and who wanted a “big rooster”. I kept two for myself (I think the best looking pair). Two was one too many. With two, the pullets went to roost other places than the coop to avoid the nightly “chase around the yard” and the two boys sparred incessantly. One of the cockerels went to freezer camp because he just started so much trouble. With one, everybody is much better. Now have 9 pullets and one cockerel.
I didn’t know what to expect either, having only kept hens before. My last rooster experience before this was probably 50 years ago as a kid growing up on the farm. My memories of roosters (and guard geese) are much worse than anything in my yard now. The descriptions of “bad roosters” on here are also much worse than anything I’ve seen. Might be the breed, might be the big run, might just be that I’m old and mellow. Don't know. All I can say is give it a try. Just be prepared to find him another home if he turns into a jerk at puberty.

 

[fergersonfarmchicks]

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply to you all. I appreciate every piece of advice and have decided to try to keep him. I’m nervous, but I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I rehomed him - let alone ate him. I do not have children, it’s only my significant other and I at home. I know I should have never let it get to this point, but when this “pullet” was little he would constantly sit under the heat lamp and chirp like he was cold. His five sisters all seemed fine and evenly dispursed throughout the brooder. I felt sorry for him and would pick him up to keep him warm. I have an auto immune disease that causes chronic pain and makes me feel bad daily, but it had been worse than usual in the previous weeks because my job and college work had gotten almost unbearably stressful during the quarantine. I guess at the time we both needed a little bit of extra love and care. Do you think he would mature a little better if I purchased a few full grown hens and added them to my flock? I have extra space, a reliable source to get the hens from, and have read some about integration and quarantine practices when bringing in new birds. I am hoping a full grown bird would be more likely to put him in his place if he starts being aggressive to his flock mates, but I don’t really know.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Do you think he would mature a little better if I purchased a few full grown hens and added them to my flock?

I would not. You'd probably be creating a whole new set of problems. I'd just work with what you have.

 

[Mrs. K]

haha- usually I agree with Ridgerunner, but I would say add the older hens. Course, I would so dearly love to get some older hens at this point in my flock, that might be influencing me.

Oh wait, I went back and re-read the thread. You have a lot of rooster chicks, it is just this one rooster chick that you are struggling with. Give it a try, if it doesn't work, you don't have kids to take the mistake of keeping him. If it doesn't work, you will know. If it does, well that will be nice.

You should have space for 20 head, and I would assume that half of the straight run is roosters, but one never knows. My point is, you have room, but adding older birds, is a bit tricky. It might just not be a good time to do this with the other stress in your life.

mk