Rehoming a rooster in winter, advice needed.

[kittyacid]

I have a beautiful and nice partridge rock rooster that I need to rehome because my mixed flock includes silkies and I am afraid that he will injure them when mating. I have found a farm that he can go to where the roosters are all freerange and most roost in trees at night. This is the only place that I have found where he will not immediately go into a pot.

He is used to a pretty luxurious life with a secure run and nice enclosed coop at night. It is projected to be about 15 degrees here in the coming week and I would like to know if this is a bad time to rehome him. Will being out in the cold be especially bad since he is not used to it? I wish I could find him a better home, but I have not been able to. He is a MPC sexing error.

Thanks!!

 

[Caseman]

If he been used to a coop and you throw him out at 15o going be hard on him..He may not make it with the cold and having other roosters around going be some fighting going on..

 

[Mrs. K]

To be honest, I think you may as well butcher him, as to turn him out like that, he is not going to be predator smart, he will have no buddies, he is unfamiliar with tree roosting, and probably does not have the feather development that the other birds do, due to having been outside 24/7. He is going to be something's dinner. Or get sick.

 

[kittyacid]

It looks like I may need to rethink my plans.

 

[donrae]

Is your coop insulated? I'm just wondering how much warmer it is at night. I know mine is the same temp as outside, it's just shelter, not necessarily warmth. So, personally, I don't think it would be a problem. Or, you could seperate him from your girls, or start another coop with silkies............that way lies chicken math

 

[sourland]

You are right in being concerned that he could inadvertantly hurt your silky hens. On his part moving to a farm with other roosters and no shelter would be difficult. In addition to adjusting to the cold, as a stranger he would be attacked by the other roosters. Sadly enough, I think that culling would be better than moving to this farm.

 

[teach1rusl]

Thoughts of putting him down may seem harsh, but it's actually a merciful act in my mind. Unless you can pen him separately until spring, I think that would be a better choice based on this time of year. The place you mentioned would probably be fine if he went there in the spring and had time to adapt, but would most likely be very hard on him now. I know that's much easier said than done though...

 

[kittyacid]

Ugh! Thank you all for the advice, I really have to come up with a plan. I am not opposed to him being put down, but I cannot do it myself and worry that he would be mistreated if I handed him over. Our low temperatures average in the 30's for winter, but they do dip sometimes. Do you think it could work if I let him free range in my yard during the day and put him in the coop at night? They are all used to ranging when I am home, of course he would be the only one out there. If I sectioned off an area of the pen for him, would it be bad that he was by himself but could see the others??

Sometimes I wish I did not treat them like pets!

 

[dreamcatcherarabians]

Quote:
I have an extra roo and I've offered him up to a good home for free, but if he's not taken he can stay here. I put him in a separate cage at night in my feed barn. He's got plenty of shelter, food and water in there and does not seem to object. When he's a little older, he'll have to be separated full time and I'll try to find a girl to keep him company in a separate little coop. I have 35 hens, so finding one won't be difficult, just gotta match his personality. Since I'll just eat the eggs, breed doesn't matter. That way a perfectly nice little roo doesn't have to go in the stew pot and I won't be breeding a bunch of mutts.

He gets picked on right now because he's the youngest, smallest roo, so he IS my pet for his own protection. Here he is getting his nightly snuggle before bed. He doesn't seem to mind sharing with the cat, LOL!

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Partitioning off an area inside your run should work fine...or allowing him to roam your yard, and then putting him in the coop at night would work. If there are not trees or shrubs or overhangs for him to get under in case of precipitation during the days, you might want to put a doghouse or plastic dog crate or something out there for him for daytime protection. And of course food/water.

Sounds like a good compromise until spring rolls around.