practicality/issues extra birds hatched related to..

[Ksane]

This is my 1st journey into chickens. I got 16 Silkies this past summer, hatched 8 Cochins from eggs (only 2 were roos) and got a few other various chickens. I'm extremely careful about getting them because I know me and I know I'd never be able to kill them. The Silkie boys will have a big bachelor pen, each is special to me. I'll diligently pick up eggs so nobody hatches any out. I've carefully kept the number of chickens under control because of the reasons you mentioned. I refuse to be faced with having more than I can take care of and potentially having to give some away to be killed. There's a responsibility involved with animal ownership. We're the smarter species and we need to make darn sure the populations stay under our control.

 

[tiki244]

 

[tiki244]

For people with pet chickens it is good that you keep a manageable number and don't breed more. But people that are breeding to preserve a breed or to show (or for meat or eggs) there has to be a way to sell or cull some of the flock each year.

eta: And I do also have my pet chickens and some mixed breeds too.

 

[turney31]

I give away my extra Roos on craigslist.

 

[gritsar]

I am fortunate that my chicken obsession is not limited by finances (much) or space (another or more coops could be acquired if necessary), only by my health and my ability to care for the chooks. However, every time I bring up the subject of thinning out my flock my DH encourages me to keep them and steps in to help me through a rough health patch. DH may tease me about it, but deep down he doesn't mind my chicken hobby. I am determined to pay for my hobby by myself, so I do self impose limits. I do get too many roosters at once from time to time or I should say roosters that are not blending nicely in my flocks.

Back when I first got into chickens and had three too many roos, I was introduced to an elderly couple retired from farming. They struggle to make ends meet and have an adult handicapped son living with them. They took those three extra roos and have since taken two more. I give the roos to them without restrictions, knowing that if they should decide to use them for food they will kill them in a humane manner. Either way - food or pet - it's a win, win situation for them. And a win for me, as it gives me an outlet for unwanted birds. There are enough elderly and/or disadvantaged neighbors around here that I don't have to worry about someone turning down a free chicken.

I fully expected the last two roos I gave to them to become their supper, but have since learned that their son took a liking to them so they were kept.

 

[SillyChicken]

I guess I come from a different mindset growing up on a farm, knowing that each animal has it's job and has to earn it's keep so to speak. I don't think that makes me a cold or uncaring person, certainly not god like in anyway.

I have birds I like, like my bb turkeys, but I know that I will be doing the tom (Mr. Brain) esp a dis-service by allowing him to live as he is getting huge and hard for him to walk. Same for overcrowding my birds...I allow one hen to raise a batch of chicks every year. The older hens that do not lay, and the excess roosters are all humanly processed.

If one or two roosters have to be processed to protect the health of the rest of my birds, that are earning their keep with eggs, then I think this is proper farm management. It has nothing to do with playing god.

Eventually some of the hens will get too old to lay, so what do you do when you have nothing but old hens that don't lay, but you need eggs?

I can appreciate your feelings on this....

 

[Henicillin]

I've told DH since we decided to get chickens that I want to cull my extra cockerels for the table. Thanks to the luck of straight run, I now have some extra males who will need to go within a couple of weeks. They aren't crowing or fighting among themselves yet, but they will be soon, as their hormones are starting to kick in. However, although he is a hunter and has dressed both large game and birds, DH seems a bit wigged out at the thought of culling them. I think that this is because they're behaving themselves at the moment, so he only sees the peaceable little flock. However, I've spent too much time researching chicken behavior and have too many farmers in my ancestry to be fooled by what is almost certainly only a temporary situation. As soon as hormones start running high, it'll be brother against brother, friend against friend, and my pullets will be harassed like crazy. Yeah - no. That's not happening.

At the moment, the plan is to keep the 14-week-old SS cockerel and both Polish and see how that goes. I have listed the extra cockerels on Albany Craigslist (two 13-week-old Speckled Sussex) as a compromise to DH. If somebody takes them as backyard roos, fine. If someone wants them as freezer camp birds, also fine. Either way, they'd be out of here. However, if they don't go, I'll be processing them myself within a couple of weeks. I have a friend who has processed chickens before who is willing to come lend me a hand in exchange for a six-pack of beer (hey, my peeps work cheap!). Also, I want to try my hand at raising some meat birds (colored rangers), and could use the experience. DH sees the logic in it, and agrees that my reasoning is sound, but I don't think he wants anything to do with culling these two. Oddly, he has no problem with the idea of processing the hypothetical meat birds, nor with the concept of butchering other meat animals. He's only weirded out by the idea of doing these two. Fine by me - I'll do it myself with the help of my friend.

I do love my birds, and find them endlessly fascinating to watch. However, I'm also interested in raising some of my own food, and I'm not a vegetarian, so the chicken flock is part of that plan. Others' mileage may vary.

 

[seminolewind]

Tiki, I suffer thru that problem like you. That's why I'm going to stick with sexed hatchery chicks for a while.

With excess roos, it breaks my heart to know how expendable roos are in this society. However, it's a problem. I can't cull extra roos because they're just excess. I have taken excess roos to the feed store, I don't ask where they go. I just know that they did have a good life so far, free ranging, enjoying the outdoors, etc. That's the only thing I can give them.

If I hatch more eggs in the future, there are a few guys I know that will cull for meat. And they both believe in giving a good life to a roo prior to the deed. That's the best I can do working within reality. So that would be my next method.

Right now I have 2 flocks with roos. One roo was an egg that was laid in my car by a pullet from Nava. He turned out to be nice to the girls. And the other roo is a JG with 1 eye. He's a sweetheart. A one eyed roo , being a sweet roo, I am not able to part with him.

Tiki, take the time and make a plan. Maybe find someone on BYC or Craig's list or the feed store that will pick up the roos and be humane about it.

This is a good thread, alot of us have a problem with too many roos, and "the axe" is not an option for people who can't do it.

 

[Glenmar]

I may need to process some chickens this year also.
Here's a question..... Who likes fishing?? Is a chicken any different?
This is what I keep asking myself.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
It's a personal feeling. I love fishing, but I throw them back.