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.
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.