Too many cockerels

[Ceakmama]

My 3 year old daughter's favorite chick turned out to be a cockerel. My favorite is also a cockerel. We also have one more that's going to be cockadoodledooing any day. 3 young roosters, oh no!

I'm new at this. We already named all of them, big mistake! Now I don't think I can send them to the freezer. We're definitely keeping my favorite, because he's the nicest and prettiest of the 3. I'm considering rehoming them.

Was it hard for you to say goodbye!? Should I just send them to the freezer? If I do go the freezer route, what do I tell my 3 year old? Is she old enough to know she's eating her favorite chicken?

 

[Mrs. K]

Now, when they are being darling, this seems like an impossible decision or choice. Later, If they are attacking your pullets, each other or your darling 3 year old child - this becomes a different decision.

A couple of things to know about cockerels:

• being raised together has little influence on behavior
• they don't call it cock fighting for nothing
• getting along today or being friendly or being nice -is no prediction for tomorrow
• always have a way set up and ready to use to separate birds - cages and a fish net are good ideas.
• they need MORE SPACE than hens
• many people vastly underestimate the violence of
  • roosters fighting roosters
  • cockerels harassing pullets
  • roosters and cockerels attacking people
• they tend to attack children first, then women, then men.
  • children will take the attack in the face or head
• this website is full of where the darling becomes the nightmare in what seems to be an instant. Many inexperienced people do not pick up on the cues that a rooster is becoming aggressive until the attack.
• they have a very small brain - largely driven by hormones
• More hens is not a real solution to a poorly behaved rooster
• IMO - rooster chicks raised with just pullets instead of in a multi-generational flock have a greater chance in being mean and aggressive.
• What appears to be friendly and loving behavior in a cockerel, is a lack of fear, which means a lack of respect. As these chicks get bigger, they often times become aggressive.

With the darling 3 year old child living with you, I would strongly encourage removal of all of the rooster chicks ASAP. A child under the age of 6, lacks height, and will often take an attack in the face. Especially if the chickens and child share a play area. Quick movement, and loud noises are often exciting to rooster/cockerels and can precipitate an attack.

Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of children. I do not recommend ANY roosters for families with children under the age of 6. An all hen flock is nice to start with. You have years to do this hobby together, wait until they are a little older. I would not even recommend keeping them until they are big enough to butcher if this is your first time with rooster chicks, people don't pick up on the cues soon enough without experience.

Mrs K

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I think your daughter's reaction is likely to mirror yours. If she sees you being sad and regretful, she's more likely to feel sad and possibly even traumatized. But if you handle it like it's perfectly normal and natural, like harvesting peas or potatoes from the garden, then that is what she is going to learn and reflect. If you can't honestly model that, then my suggestion is to sell or otherwise rehome the cockerels.

We send ours out for butchering because we are honestly no good at it. But we know right up front this is where the cockerels are going. We give them a good life and we know we are getting good meat for our efforts. Much better than commercial chicken, on both counts. We can't supply all our own chicken, but we do what we can. If we were to name our birds it would be things like, Dumplings, Fricasee, Noodles, and the always-popular, Stu.

 

[NatJ]

If I do go the freezer route, what do I tell my 3 year old? Is she old enough to know she's eating her favorite chicken?

I've told children of any age.

Some kids enjoy knowing who/what they are eating. Some kids don't.

Which children like or dislike the idea of eating a chicken they know does not seem to follow any pattern based on child's age or how much the child interacts with the chickens. The children's reactions are somewhat influenced by the parent's reactions, but not always.

I tend to go with something like "we've had a good time raising this chicken, and now we're going to kill him and eat him for dinner, and he will taste good. Do you want to see how we do that?" (I am competent at butchering, and I'm usually not distressed about it, so I let the child choose whether they want to watch or not. Obviously, I vary things a bit depending on the age of the child, and what I already know of how the child reacts to things. And if I am upset for some reason-- like a favorite chicken that got injured and is being culled-- I'll do the deed while someone else is in charge of the child, and not make a big deal about it.)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Good advice, thank you! I grew up with in a family that hunts, but I've never actually killed an animal. I've helped with butchering though. If my husband will do the hard part, then we'll be good. I just can't bring myself to! You're right about the emotions. We eat store bought chicken, so I know we should just eat them. I feel like a wimp!

Eh, you're not a wimp! It's easy to get attached to these feathered charmers! Stick around and read some of the MANY threads similar to yours ... you're in excellent company, believe me!

 

[Ceakmama]

I think your daughter's reaction is likely to mirror yours. If she sees you being sad and regretful, she's more likely to feel sad and possibly even traumatized. But if you handle it like it's perfectly normal and natural, like harvesting peas or potatoes from the garden, then that is what she is going to learn and reflect. If you can't honestly model that, then my suggestion is to sell or otherwise rehome the cockerels.

We send ours out for butchering because we are honestly no good at it. But we know right up front this is where the cockerels are going. We give them a good life and we know we are getting good meat for our efforts. Much better than commercial chicken, on both counts. We can't supply all our own chicken, but we do what we can. If we were to name our birds it would be things like, Dumplings, Fricasee, Noodles, and the always-popular, Stu.

Good advice, thank you! I grew up with in a family that hunts, but I've never actually killed an animal. I've helped with butchering though. If my husband will do the hard part, then we'll be good. I just can't bring myself to! You're right about the emotions. We eat store bought chicken, so I know we should just eat them. I feel like a wimp!

 

[Ceakmama]

Now, when they are being darling, this seems like an impossible decision or choice. Later, If they are attacking your pullets, each other or your darling 3 year old child - this becomes a different decision.

A couple of things to know about cockerels:

• being raised together has little influence on behavior
• they don't call it cock fighting for nothing
• getting along today or being friendly or being nice -is no prediction for tomorrow
• always have a way set up and ready to use to separate birds - cages and a fish net are good ideas.
• they need MORE SPACE than hens
• many people vastly underestimate the violence of
  • roosters fighting roosters
  • cockerels harassing pullets
  • roosters and cockerels attacking people
• they tend to attack children first, then women, then men.
  • children will take the attack in the face or head
• this website is full of where the darling becomes the nightmare in what seems to be an instant. Many inexperienced people do not pick up on the cues that a rooster is becoming aggressive until the attack.
• they have a very small brain - largely driven by hormones
• More hens is not a real solution to a poorly behaved rooster
• IMO - rooster chicks raised with just pullets instead of in a multi-generational flock have a greater chance in being mean and aggressive.
• What appears to be friendly and loving behavior in a cockerel, is a lack of fear, which means a lack of respect. As these chicks get bigger, they often times become aggressive.

With the darling 3 year old child living with you, I would strongly encourage removal of all of the rooster chicks ASAP. A child under the age of 6, lacks height, and will often take an attack in the face. Especially if the chickens and child share a play area. Quick movement, and loud noises are often exciting to rooster/cockerels and can precipitate an attack.

Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of children. I do not recommend ANY roosters for families with children under the age of 6. An all hen flock is nice to start with. You have years to do this hobby together, wait until they are a little older. I would not even recommend keeping them until they are big enough to butcher if this is your first time with rooster chicks, people don't pick up on the cues soon enough without experience.

Mrs K

Thanks for this! They are in an enclosed run, so the only contact is if my daughter walks in the run with me. They aren't free ranging. I also have an 11 month old baby though, so everything needs to be little kid friendly. I may just rehome them and get more pullets.

 

[Ceakmama]

They're 3 months old now and I have 5 pullets.

 

[Ceakmama]

My 3 year old daughter's favorite chick turned out to be a cockerel. My favorite is also a cockerel. We also have one more that's going to be cockadoodledooing any day. 3 young roosters, oh no!

UPDATE: We gifted 2 of the 3 cockerels to my parents' freezer. The 3rd, my favorite, is starting to show agression. He will be sent to their freezer soon. After 5am crowing waking up the family and signs of agression, I am 100% over having a rooster!

 

[McChooky]

I would never recommend anyone process a childs pet . Livestock should be raised as pets or food but not both.