The Omega Rocks: The Last & Ultimate Barred Plymouth Rock Flock

[Hillbilly Hen]

I sure hope you can get that cough taken care of and that both you and your husband will be feeling better soon

 

[speckledhen]

Thank you, so do I. I have been up since 2:30 a.m. because of it, which happens several times each week and it's 7:04 and I am already crashing.

 

[1muttsfan]

I use the pole across the back of the neck method when I put any older young birds or adults down. I think a kindergartner could do it without difficulty, once you have learned how to do it properly. It takes very little strength and is very quick.

Holding the birds upside down by the legs until they calm down, almost like they are tranquilized, makes it easier, usually less than a minute. Lower them until their head lays on the ground, place the broom handle or whatever across their neck just below the head, stand on the the pole on either side of their neck, and pull up on the legs until you dislocate the cervical vertebrae. It takes surprisingly little effort in young birds. You'll feel a little pop when it happens and they'll start flopping around.
Do it on a hard packed surface, not the soft ground.

 

[speckledhen]

I use the pole across the back of the neck method when I put any older young birds or adults down. I think a kindergartner could do it without difficulty, once you have learned how to do it properly. It takes very little strength and is very quick.

Holding the birds upside down by the legs until they calm down, almost like they are tranquilized, makes it easier, usually less than a minute. Lower them until their head lays on the ground, place the broom handle or whatever across their neck just below the head, stand on the the pole on either side of their neck, and pull up on the legs until you dislocate the cervical vertebrae. It takes surprisingly little effort in young birds. You'll feel a little pop when it happens and they'll start flopping around.
Do it on a hard packed surface, not the soft ground.

You know, it's funny you mention that, and thanks for describing it again, Mary. We did try it one time years ago and sadly, failed and not sure why. (Maybe we failed kindergarten, LOL, but likely we are just too soft-hearted) Maybe the ground was too soft, maybe the angle of her neck was wrong, the memory is a bit vague. However, when Lisa posted what she did a few posts back about it, I mentioned it to my husband and it dredged up a much older memory, how my granddaddy did something like it, but he didn't use a broom handle. He would lay the bird's head on the ground and just use his big old farm boot, step on the head to hold it and pull upward. My grandmother used an axe and we do remember the headless chicken running around for a moment, always a bizarre sight. I had completely forgotten about that until it popped into my head after Lisa's comment.
I may have to try it again with a couple of these irritating cockerels. It would solve an issue for us that has been a stumbling block for over 20 years. We are admittedly terrible at this part. A bird who is almost non-responsive is much easier, but a big, very strong-bodied, strong-willed cockerel is a different story. It should be a no-brainer for a bad-tempered one, though. We have not had to even think about it with a young bird since 2006 when we executed an increasingly aggressive Delaware cockerel. Since then, I have literally had no reason to consider killing a rooster for this cause, always the best tempered males and most all just die a natural, old age quiet death. We did euthanize Luna, Axel, Dane and Bodie when they came down with that weird neurological issue, but they were in bad shape already and there really was no choice.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You can do this Cynthia, or at least your husband can. I think the catching is the hardest. I've seen where people use a funny sack to restrain the bird and there's a small hole in the corner for the head. I just rounded up one of my spring roosters. He's going in the freezer today because he's the only full sized boy amongst a bunch of bantam boys.

 

[speckledhen]

You can do this Cynthia, or at least your husband can. I think the catching is the hardest. I've seen where people use a funny sack to restrain the bird and there's a small hole in the corner for the head. I just rounded up one of my spring roosters. He's going in the freezer today because he's the only full sized boy amongst a bunch of bantams

I'll have to remember you saying that when the time comes. I think I'd have to do it myself. My husband is the biggest softie, but he wasn't the one who was attacked, unless it was Duncan the other night who bit him. It could have been, of course. I can catch the idiot because the pen those five are in now is only 5x8 and he has nowhere to run, it's just more tricky to get him in that small space while the others are trying to get out of the way.
I tried to call that guy Julio whose card I still had, but it's been ten years since I had contact with him and the number(s) on the card didn't seem to work so I lost that avenue for ridding myself of a problem.
One thing I can't do is execute that big floppy combed guy unless he becomes aggressive. I've been impressed with him lately, his intelligence and leadership skills. He reminds me a lot of my sweet late Bodie, always ready to discipline the rebels in the group. If I wasn't attempting to keep the very best in all areas, he'd have staying in the running as a keeper. His comb looks like a beret the way it hangs off to the left, but otherwise, he's very handsome. I'd hate to see him go into a stew pot but if I give him away, I have no say in the matter.

 

[1muttsfan]

You can do it. It's harder on older roosters, they have tough necks. Younger birds still have relatively stretchy connective tissue.

 

[speckledhen]

You can do it. It's harder on older roosters, they have tough necks. Younger birds still have relatively stretchy connective tissue.

Good to know, Mary. All my truly old ones have died on their feet unless you consider Bodie at 4 yrs as old. Well, I guess he is old by bantam Cochin standards, but not by the Atlas scale, LOL.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Have you tried putting up any flyers at the local feed and farm stores?

 

[speckledhen]

I think there is only one I can do that with, but I haven't had time to get to the co-op and ask April, the manager. I've changed the ad for the cockerels here to an ad trying to rehome The Bouncer since he's shown himself to be more intelligent and more of a leader type than the others. I will not likely attempt to rehome Duncan since he lost his mind over the past two days. The others are not aggressive, but a lot of trouble. They might be less trouble if they get away from The Bouncer, LOL
Of course, if someone gets to Duncan before I send him to his maker, maybe he'd be a good free range rooster, let him take out his frustration on the coyotes and roaming dogs.