one rooster gone, two to go

[bj taylor]

i had bought five chicks. four turned out to be roosters. i'm keeping the biggest australorp, but the other three have to go since my flock is so small. these four guys have been really tough on my four girls. they've just started mating in the last two weeks. i thought i had more time.
today i gave one rooster to a friend who is building a flock. he wants one of the others as well. it was kinda sad to send this guy off. but at least he's not going in a soup pot right away.
i'm pretty eager to get down to one rooster so my girls can take a breath.

 

[Mattemma]

Sorry you had so many! It is tough to give them away knowing their fate might be the stew pot.Hopefully they will have good lives until that time.

 

[mkcolls]

I know your pain. We incubated and had two hens hatch a total of 69 chicks this spring. In the first batch we have 19 males of 34. In the second batch, 6 of 10 are male, and the final batch 13 of 25 are males.

Freezer camp is next week for the first batch of males. The others will go in August.

It is really hard as we have some absolutely beautiful cockerels. They are barnyard mixes, but gorgeous. And the sweetest dispositions. Some will sit on our laps, and fall asleep with their heads under our arms.

Well, we chose dual purpose chickens so we have to live with the freezer camp aspect. It is still hard. DH is really dreading it. I look forward to the pullets having some peace.