So sad, had to say goodbye to my 2 roosters today

[PinkHairGirl]

When we got the chicken they were all supposed to be girls, being new to chickens I thought this was sort of a sure fire thing - you live and learn
so 2 of the 6 turned out to be Rooster and we can't keep crowing roosters in our residential area and with the kids loving the chickens and spending lots of time with them I could not risk him getting aggressive when he got older.

So the one rooster turned out to be my son's chicken Jack whom he is very very fond of. The kids are up country visiting my mom so it was the perfect time to get rid of the boys while they were away.
The egg laying chick also turned out to be hybrid broilers ( not cronish x but a meat bird that can lay too - a white rock i think) so it was hard to find a place to re-home them.
We live in South Africa and so back yard chickens are a fact of life and food for many people. One of my staff members had no problem taking the rooster home for the pot. I know I could not eat my pet chickens. I do know it is a bit silly since I will eat shop chicken, and mine had a way better life and was probably much healthier, but still If I have fed and raised it I can't eat it.

I am so sad that Jack had to go, my little boy is devastated too, but at least it is good lessons in life and the realities of chickens. All I know is that the replacement chickens are going to be point of lay girls so he does not get heart broken again. I know I did the right thing but I still feel awful.

 

[Mahonri]

I feel badly whenever I give up a chicken. They all have names and I love them all.

But the time is coming where I'm going to have to say goodbye to some more...

And... I'm still trying to get my two roos in to get them decrowed.

Hang in there. this too shall pass.

 

[PinkHairGirl]

thanks for the support
what is decrowed?

 

[ninabeast]

I had to give up a Jack, too, and it was very hard. Harder still to learn he had been killed by a fox, protecting his new girls. And yet...I'm not sure I'd have the same relationship with my hens were I not their rooster...

Here's a pic of Jack, the day we said goodbye. He was just starting to get his big boy tail feathers, which were going to be that iridescent black/green colour...I'm so sad I gave him up...

 

[macdoogle2]

I just had to re-home my BCMS boy this weekend as well. He was the sweetest boy, very gentle. It's just that darn crowing. That's the only think I hate about having chickens and hatching eggs. What to do with the boys. I told my husband all I want for Christmas is a ranch where we can keep Roosters. No Diamond earings for this girl! May have to wait a while though. For the ranch and the earings.

I also want to know about the 'de-crowing" thing. I asked my Avian Vet but he says it's a complicated procedure and most roosters dont survive.

 

[PinkHairGirl]

I also want a ranch or even just a small holding I can have animal. I would love to have a goat and some sheep
The fact i can't keep the roosters is the main reason I have decided just to keep hens and have some eggs and not hatch out any new chicks.

 

[27strong]

I had to give 2 roosters away because some lady said they were too noisy so she filed a report to county categorizing it as noise complaint. The thing is she is at war with my family. There are roosters right and left and she only got rid of ours. Sad to see them go. The Dominique Rooster I had was super friendly. He was non aggressive and looked after the hens not even trying to dominate them but to be a leader. His only crime was that he was yelling at 4am and all day because he is trying to defend his 25 hens. Oh yeah like this lady finds the rooster too noisy but she doesn't find local daily domestic abuse shouting, loud Boeing planes, sirens, loud punk music, drunken parties too loud. Jesus I gotta say I came here from Russia 8 years ago and the rooster I gave away was noisy but that didn't wake me at four in the morning. Being from the military I hear a person complaining about a Rooster at four in the morning ticks me off. What a bunch of England wussies. What the hell you doing sleeping at 4 in the morning? You would think that if u go to bed at a regular PM u get enough sleep by 4. Besides don't old people get up early anyway? Also don't use the grave yard shift defense with me. Because my rebuttal is she is a white whatever and we leave in a wealthy community. I don't even think she worked in her entire freaking life. She just wants everyone to be quiet and forces us to do so with the law. This wasn't the first time she complaint about stupid noice. THE world is noisy lady. ok Fine where is that bat I got for Christmas? People please read that dilemma I have with integrating 2 hens I rescued under the flock section i guess.

 

[JakRat]

I had to give up my babies last week. I feel your pain... they were sooooo beautiful too!!!

 

[SteveBaz]

I have to say being raise with a Grandma and Grandpa that had dairy cows and a small farm we were exposed to life in a different way. We exchanged things for things and favorite or not when it was time to say goodby it was just that. My Grandpa killed humanly and as quick as possible. There was just no changing his mind and then it happened that quick. The lesson learned is that we all have a life to live and our lives are as full and when it's over each of us had a full life for the one we had.