Rehoming Roosters

[m2wandc]

How hard is it to rehome a rooster and how do you know they aren't in it for cock fighting???

Is there a way to see if there are other BYC folks in your area that you could chat with...

 

[Thomas423]

I had a rooster that I placed on craiglist. I did not mention cockfights because I didn't want anyone to be on guard. Basically, when I got my first response, I felt her out, asked simple questions and then followed my gut instinct. I got lucky (and so did Luke). He went to a home right up the road from us, has 12 pullets to take care of, and the family is super nice. The husband is a manager at TSC. I was fully prepared to tell any responders that he "wasn't available" if my "gut" told me so.

So basically, don't mention cockfights, follow your gut and turn away anyone you are not comfortable with.

 

[threehorses]

Make a contract with the people that you would like to visit the bird in a month and again in another month. Likely you're not going to get anyone taking just a regular rooster for actual fighting. But you do want the suspicoius people to back off by you asking to see the bird.

 

[Brindlebtch]

I put my rooster on Craigslist and interviewed people to see if they were appropriate homes. Henry went to a dairy goat farm and has 13 hens to himself. The owners were a real nice young couple.

 

[rancher hicks]

Hey you think I could get rid of my daughters boyfriend if I put him on craigslist?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

I'm not familiar with the habits & needs of the cockfighting community, but I wonder how many of them are busy collecting spare roosters from Craigslist to supply their needs? I imagine they are busy breeding their own, and would already have a sufficient number of specially-bred roos. Most production-breed roos, no matter how feisty, would not be suited for the fighting ring.

More likely you'll find the folks willing to take your unwanted roos off your hands will want to invite them in for dinner. You'll have to decide for yourself if you're okay with that, or if you're willing to keep searching for a different destiny for those birds -- and willing to continue keeping those birds at your place for however long it takes.

It's nice when you can place your roo in a situation where he's husband to a flock of lovely hens, especially if he's a particularly nice & mannerly boy. But the fact of life is that only about 10% of all roosters hatched will secure a job like that. That's why I don't tolerate unmannerly roos, and don't think time should be wasted on them trying to find them a career away from the kitchen. Save those jobs for the best-behaved 10% instead.

 

[SimplyForties]

If cockfighting people took him I would imagine it would be as a bait or training rooster, not as a fighting rooster. I agree that you just have to talk to the interested parties. Chicken people and cockfighting people are very different!

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:

I rehomed 7 roos at once, and that worried me. Even though it made a long drive for me, (with 7 roosters in the truck with me!

), I insisted upon delivering them. And I was fully prepared to come back home with 7 roosters.

I got lucky though, they are living in chicken paradise now! Just got an email update yesterday!

Just be careful, interview all respondents- if they object, you don't want them anyway.

 

[SimplyForties]

Quote:
Not sure about that one. As a single woman I can think of lots of reasons I wouldn't want someone coming to my house. I might want the rooster but that doesn't mean I want its owner to know where I live.

 

[Goose and Fig]

Thanks for asking this question! I just hatched a few "extra" roos, and I'm worried about it too. I KNOW there is cockfighting here in TN- but my roos would most likely be "bait" like you said. I'd rather build more coops and rotate the free-ranging than have that happen.

I have to mention this: where we used to live (outside Cleveland OH) people's dogs were being stolen from cars in a big shopping center. You know if you have the dog in the car you have to leave the windows open. Well these were labs and goldens and such- nice bamily dogs. They ended up catching the guys stealing them. They had been using as bait in dog fights. Some people are just sick.