Prepping to harvest

[Qeynan]

Hello, I am new to this group. I have 2 roosters to harvest (18 wks). Can I keep them in a dog kennel for 24 hrs at the same time to allow their systems to clear out w/o carnage?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

You do not get guarantees with living animals and their behaviors. Anything could happen. But cockerels and roosters often can be kept together without serious fighting or injury if they are isolated from the girls. Without girls to fight over they are usually pretty tame. I think it is worth a try.

 

[Qeynan]

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

You do not get guarantees with living animals and their behaviors. Anything could happen. But cockerels and roosters often can be kept together without serious fighting or injury if they are isolated from the girls. Without girls to fight over they are usually pretty tame. I think it is worth a try.

Thank you.

 

[aart]

I always kept my slaughter staging at one bird per crate,
that way they are easier to get out without another one escaping.

 

[DemeterAD9]

I would not starve them for 24hrs as that seems a bit cruel to me. Just letting their crops empty overnight is plenty, sounds like 12hrs or so is the usual fasting time. I plan to process 2 cockerels in the morning myself.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fasting-before-the-slaughter.664737/

As for keeping them together, depends on the birds. The last time I separated 4 cockerels from the group (2 to sell, 2 to slaughter) I tried keeping them in the coop. They attacked each other ruthlessly but that was when they were being super hormonal and chasing anything that moved.

You could keep one in the cage and keep the other with a rope around the leg tied to a tree. But if you simply process them in the morning then you won't have to separate anyone until you are doing the deed.