Venting about Roosters

[FortCluck]

X2.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "I have my chicks, now what?"
I know it is a bigger learning curve for those who didn't grow up with livestock but it isn't hard to buy a book. Plus there are plenty of internet sources of knowledge.
My wife is one of those who won't eat the chickens I raise. I butcher pretty many chickens each year but she continues to buy from the grocery store. I think the reason is the first one was tough because I didn't rest it long enough. She won't give me another chance. So I eat them all myself. She has tasted the ones I prepare and says they taste good but she still buys from the grocery store.
People who keep pets like dogs and cats are responsible for an incredible number of chicken, duck, cattle, sheep and fish deaths - just for a start. They dish out food from a can but don't comprehend the number of turkeys, chickens, salmon, tuna and whitefish that met their demise to feed their furry pets.

My husband grew up with one of his aunts who had him slaughter chickens for her, but those chickens were older retired ones. He said that the meat was so chewy and rubbery, But he never complained because he wouldn't get to eat for the day if he did.

I promised him that my chickens would not be rubbery or chewy and he's holding me to it.

I'm not sure how long I will rest my chickens but most likely between two and five days. My mom probably will never try any of the animals that I slaughter because for some reason she would rather just get it at the grocery store... More meat for my freezer!

I was planning on making my own dog food with the chickens that I am raising, but I have to do a little bit more research before I try it.

 

[erehwon]

Well I will put my hand up and say we learnt the hard way about chicken keeping, buying five chicks from the local bird market then having another five given to us by our neighbour who said "five is not enough!", we had to build another coop/shelter that afternoon as we had no room for them, months later it transpired we had six roosters/cockerels and four hens. Loved the roosters/cockerels but for some reason they did not like my partner and often took to ambushing her with claws flying so one by one they had to go, helpful neighbour again stepped in to show us how to dispatch and dress them, a rather steep learning curve. We now have a lovable Orpington Rooster, it may be a man thing but I love them, chest out crowing their heads off, stunning colours and characters, no complaints here, they are what they are and if they could lay eggs all the hens would be gone!!!

 

[Chickassan]

Roosters aren't for sissies this is a fact of keeping a flock that most people of any age that were raised around any sort of poultry flock learn early on.
The thing is a lot of people getting into having birds now have never seen a chicken, rooster or hen past television or a petting zoo.
Imagine being in this group, you might not even know what "straight run" even means much less that about half "if you're lucky" of your fuzzy little pets will become humpy, agressive, crowing machines.
Not excusing ignorance, not in the least but it is a huge, huuuuge driving force for this particular issue.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I'm not trying to play devil's advocate, but lots of people end up with cockerels without buying straight run, and unaware that cockerels are a possibility. They purchase sexed chicks thinking they'll have all females. But we all know, sexed pullets aren't always all pullets. Sometimes you get a surprise cockerel or two. I think a lot of people are genuinely caught off guard when their 'sweet little girl' starts crowing.

 

[FortCluck]

Well I will put my hand up and say we learnt the hard way about chicken keeping, buying five chicks from the local bird market then having another five given to us by our neighbour who said "five is not enough!", we had to build another coop/shelter that afternoon as we had no room for them, months later it transpired we had six roosters/cockerels and four hens. Loved the roosters/cockerels but for some reason they did not like my partner and often took to ambushing her with claws flying so one by one they had to go, helpful neighbour again stepped in to show us how to dispatch and dress them, a rather steep learning curve. We now have a lovable Orpington Rooster, it may be a man thing but I love them, chest out crowing their heads off, stunning colours and characters, no complaints here, they are what they are and if they could lay eggs all the hens would be gone!!!

If my roosters could lay eggs, my hens would be gone too

I got my roosters by accident from a hatchery that a local farm orders from. We ordered two jersey giant pullets. At around 5 months we knew they weren't pullets. I decided to use them for our own good in creating fertile eggs, we just hatched 21 chicks. We are keeping some, but they are dual purpose meat chickens.

I did have a standoff with Squatch, my biggest rooster. After I won, he left me alone. I respect my boys, they're gorgeous too. If one started being aggressive towards us, I would dispatch them if nothing else worked.

 

[FortCluck]

I'm not trying to play devil's advocate, but lots of people end up with cockerels without buying straight run, and unaware that cockerels are a possibility. They purchase sexed chicks thinking they'll have all females. But we all know, sexed pullets aren't always all pullets. Sometimes you get a surprise cockerel or two. I think a lot of people are genuinely caught off guard when their 'sweet little girl' starts crowing.

Then buy point of lay pullets... Ones that are 100% pullets.

I got my two roosters because of a hatchery mistake, but I'm not trying to change them into something they aren't. I don't see the point of a collar on a rooster or trying to neuter one yourself (people are doing this). I feel it's more inhumane than slaughtering them to feed your family.

I know there are always two sides to everything, but there are ways to prevent it.

Chicks don't stay fluffy and cute, they turn into full grown animals that need to be cared for until the pass on. I don't think people realize the responsibility they're taking on when they buy those cute fluffy chicks.

 

[FortCluck]

Roosters aren't for sissies this is a fact of keeping a flock that most people of any age that were raised around any sort of poultry flock learn early on.
The thing is a lot of people getting into having birds now have never seen a chicken, rooster or hen past television or a petting zoo.
Imagine being in this group, you might not even know what "straight run" even means much less that about half "if you're lucky" of your fuzzy little pets will become humpy, agressive, crowing machines.
Not excusing ignorance, not in the least but it is a huge, huuuuge driving force for this particular issue.

I wish people would research more... It takes 5 seconds to ask an employee/seller what straight run means. I bought straight run my first time and go to 3 cockerels out of 15 chicks.

Roosters aren't for people who get scared easily. Roosters respect those who show no fear and some respect no one. When people come over and want to hold my roosters, I ask them if they feel like a trip to the ER. My roosters aren't part of petting zoo

 

[Peepsi]

Chicks don't stay fluffy and cute, they turn into full grown animals that need to be cared for until the pass on. I don't think people realize the responsibility they're taking on when they buy those cute fluffy chicks.

Realize though, that plenty of people DO their research and realize the responsibility. I've wanted chickens since I was young (I'm 49 now). I researched them heavily for three years and knew almost as much about them as most people on this forum, before I actually jumped in this past July and bought them.

I also think most people KNOW the chicks turn into full grown animals...that's what they want. Chicks are cute, but for adults, we want full grown animals that lay eggs and provide meat. Chicks do not lay eggs, and chicks are not enough for a meal. Generally, only children want cute fluffy chicks to stay that way.

Most people are not "scared" of a diminutive two-foot tall rooster that they can easily dispatch with the twist of the neck, but they are respectful of the rooster, and most people don't go around petting roosters. In addition, I would hope that most people have a plan for their unexpected roosters. I know I have a plan for any roosters I get. It involves them being guests of honor at my dinner table. I do not feel bad about this, and any dispatch will be quite humane (although my current flock was 100% pullets, as promised, but I was prepared for mistakes).

I think we get a few nutty people here and there, but most new chicken owners do their research, know what they are getting into, and are prepared for the responsibility. Don't let a few bad apples trick you into thinking stupidity is an epidemic (although, yeah, sometimes I wonder, too). Just my thoughts.

 

[FortCluck]

Realize though, that plenty of people DO their research and realize the responsibility. I've wanted chickens since I was young (I'm 49 now). I researched them heavily for three years and knew almost as much about them as most people on this forum, before I actually jumped in this past July and bought them.

I also think most people KNOW the chicks turn into full grown animals...that's what they want. Chicks are cute, but for adults, we want full grown animals that lay eggs and provide meat. Chicks do not lay eggs, and chicks are not enough for a meal. Generally, only children want cute fluffy chicks to stay that way.

Most people are not "scared" of a diminutive two-foot tall rooster that they can easily dispatch with the twist of the neck, but they are respectful of the rooster, and most people don't go around petting roosters. In addition, I would hope that most people have a plan for their unexpected roosters. I know I have a plan for any roosters I get. It involves them being guests of honor at my dinner table. I do not feel bad about this, and any dispatch will be quite humane (although my current flock was 100% pullets, as promised, but I was prepared for mistakes).

I think we get a few nutty people here and there, but most new chicken owners do their research, know what they are getting into, and are prepared for the responsibility. Don't let a few bad apples trick you into thinking stupidity is an epidemic (although, yeah, sometimes I wonder, too). Just my thoughts.

I don't think that some people have a plan b if they have a Cockerel because they trust breeders and hatcheries, but they really shouldn't. Humans are very faulty and make mistakes, that means that they can make mistakes during vent sexing.

Some people impulse by with chicks then don't even know what they're going to do with them once they're grown. Some people buy hatching eggs or chicks and don't even have a coop or brooder yet, I guess I'm just overly prepared.

It's hard for me to understand how people can buy an animal and not have the proper housing for it or not have actual knowledge on the animal they just bought.

I find it very hard to read about people breaking laws in order to keep a chicken. It's those types of people that ruin it for others, that's why some places have bans on chickens because there was somebody that couldn't follow the rules.

 

[FortCluck]

Realize though, that plenty of people DO their research and realize the responsibility. I've wanted chickens since I was young (I'm 49 now). I researched them heavily for three years and knew almost as much about them as most people on this forum, before I actually jumped in this past July and bought them.

I also think most people KNOW the chicks turn into full grown animals...that's what they want. Chicks are cute, but for adults, we want full grown animals that lay eggs and provide meat. Chicks do not lay eggs, and chicks are not enough for a meal. Generally, only children want cute fluffy chicks to stay that way.

Most people are not "scared" of a diminutive two-foot tall rooster that they can easily dispatch with the twist of the neck, but they are respectful of the rooster, and most people don't go around petting roosters. In addition, I would hope that most people have a plan for their unexpected roosters. I know I have a plan for any roosters I get. It involves them being guests of honor at my dinner table. I do not feel bad about this, and any dispatch will be quite humane (although my current flock was 100% pullets, as promised, but I was prepared for mistakes).

I think we get a few nutty people here and there, but most new chicken owners do their research, know what they are getting into, and are prepared for the responsibility. Don't let a few bad apples trick you into thinking stupidity is an epidemic (although, yeah, sometimes I wonder, too). Just my thoughts.

And yes a few nutty people I think stupidity is contagious at this point like the flu...