Rooster? Or no rooster? That is the question.

[smoore7489]

I'm in this boat. I have 3 grandbabies here. And 4 roosters. To be honest, I was loving being a mother hen til their hormones kicked in. Now it's a nightmare. It's depressing. I've been casting about far and wide for new homes for these guys, but so far, no takers. 1 of them is very proficient about escaping the pen, he rules the yard now. Even my dog won't go out anymore. So it comes down to hatchet time, which is also depressing. I didn't raise them in my bathroom just to kill them 5 months later. But I guess it's just a fact of life. The side of raising chicks nobody mentions. But I suppose being a well-rounded chicken keeper includes humanely harvesting occasionally. Why do the facts of life often suck? I thought long and hard about a rooster flock, but I don't have the space, and would rather utilize what I have in positive ways. I really do want to breed next year. So I know there will be 1 roo in our future. But trying to manage 4 (out of 6) is just not working.

Oh my heart goes out to you! I was coaching myself in that mercy kill mindset since i made this post but luckily someone wanted them and are giving them a good farm life with a lot of hens. Have you tried Craigslist? I got 10 calls within 24 hrs of posting them up. I had them in the free section.
A lot of love sent your way! Its hard trying to do what's best sometimes. Even when it means hatchet time.

 

[rainee63]

Oh my heart goes out to you! I was coaching myself in that mercy kill mindset since i made this post but luckily someone wanted them and are giving them a good farm life with a lot of hens. Have you tried Craigslist? I got 10 calls within 24 hrs of posting them up. I had them in the free section.
A lot of love sent your way! Its hard trying to do what's best sometimes. Even when it means hatchet time.

My daughter posted them on Craigslist for me. 1 person responded but they live an hour from me and I can't transport roosters even halfway in my chevy cobalt. Lol. I don't think she tried the 'free' section tho. Might try that again. These are buff orpington roosters, but earlier this year a friend gave me some blue australorp eggs to hatch. They're so very pretty, and I'm hooked on the whole incubation and hatching experience. Only 3 made it, but I've decided to try one more clutch of eggs. (It's only a 7 egg incubator, lol) I'd really like to get into breeding those next year. Ish.

Thank you for the happy thoughts! Back in the day my family had chickens. We used some for meat and I was chief plucker. But these are my babies! :/

 

[Mikus]

I'm in this boat. I have 3 grandbabies here. And 4 roosters. To be honest, I was loving being a mother hen til their hormones kicked in. Now it's a nightmare. It's depressing. I've been casting about far and wide for new homes for these guys, but so far, no takers. 1 of them is very proficient about escaping the pen, he rules the yard now. Even my dog won't go out anymore. So it comes down to hatchet time, which is also depressing. I didn't raise them in my bathroom just to kill them 5 months later. But I guess it's just a fact of life. The side of raising chicks nobody mentions. But I suppose being a well-rounded chicken keeper includes humanely harvesting occasionally. Why do the facts of life often suck? I thought long and hard about a rooster flock, but I don't have the space, and would rather utilize what I have in positive ways. I really do want to breed next year. So I know there will be 1 roo in our future. But trying to manage 4 (out of 6) is just not working.

The fact is, whether or not you're rearing a rooster, hen, cat, dog or a hamster....they are wild animals and are driven by instinct, we, as humans, need to respect that and adapt accordingly....we will NEVER be able to trust any of them 100%....we can only do our best!

 

[rainee63]

True! So I guess my answer to the original question is "no rooster." Until I find the one I want! Haha