What in the world?!

[hotmessJess]

Naser, I would definitely trade ya! I just got a good look at my babies feathering out now, and I'm sure only 4 out of NINETEEN were girls!

JanetMarie, do you encounter a lot of people looking for chickens for nefarious purposes, or just idiots? I've rehomed a roo (or so he shall be tomorrow) out of necessity, but I thought certainly they wouldn't go out of their way to take him on if they were going to mistreat him. I admit that I can be a little naive with that sort. Is there a way to vet these folks? My thought is always "certainly they'd just skip the hassle of meet ups and questions if they could just pay $2 at TS".

 

[JanetMarie]

Pretty much just idiots. I fear life for a re-homed rooster could possibly be having to sleep in a poop and fly infested coop with sewage water to drink, a frostbitten comb and wattles, and a deformed foot from untreated scaly leg mite. I have and do talk to people about their flock's welfare if I see a problem, and it doesn't make much difference.

I would re-home some that I think would be a good boy for a flock if I knew for sure they would be taken care of properly. I'm not expecting the wash and disinfect water dishes twice a day type of care, just the normal care to keep them clean and healthy.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Pretty much just idiots. I fear life for a re-homed rooster could possibly be having to sleep in a poop and fly infested coop with sewage water to drink, a frostbitten comb and wattles, and a deformed foot from untreated scaly leg mite. I have and do talk to people about their flock's welfare if I see a problem, and it doesn't make much difference.

I would re-home some that I think would be a good boy for a flock if I knew for sure they would be taken care of properly. I'm not expecting the wash and disinfect water dishes twice a day type of care, just the normal care to keep them clean and healthy.

A good share of people interested in roos aren't looking for a stud for their girls, unless they are quality pures or very attractive birds. The majority are going to fatten them up and process them. I had to come to terms whan I started hatching that a good share of roos that hatched would become someone's dinner. I don't like thinking about it, but that's the cycle.

 

[ameliadanielle]

I've heard with silkie mixes... only the pullets will have dark skin and the cockerals will have light skin. If that is true... we only have 1 pullet out of 6. We hadn't planned on hatching any babies but a broody mama planned otherwise. Then we planned on eating the boys before we knew who the daddy was... but the babies are so tiny because they're half silkie... it would take two to make a pot of chicken and rice. Lol. I don't know what we're going to do if the majority end up roosters. Two roosters in my backyard is enough.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I've heard with silkie mixes... only the pullets will have dark skin and the cockerals will have light skin. If that is true... we only have 1 pullet out of 6. We hadn't planned on hatching any babies but a broody mama planned otherwise. Then we planned on eating the boys before we knew who the daddy was... but the babies are so tiny because they're half silkie... it would take two to make a pot of chicken and rice. Lol. I don't know what we're going to do if the majority end up roosters. Two roosters in my backyard is enough.

If I am not mistaken, it depends on which half the silkie was. Wether it was the roo or the hen. @RavynFallen explained it to me, and now I can't remember exactly which way it went. I think it was if the silkie was the roo, then the pullets would have dark skin and the roos light.

 

[JanetMarie]

A good share of people interested in roos aren't looking for a stud for their girls, unless they are quality pures or very attractive birds. The majority are going to fatten them up and process them. I had to come to terms whan I started hatching that a good share of roos that hatched would become someone's dinner. I don't like thinking about it, but that's the cycle.

Another reason why we don't search to re-home roosters is we eat chicken, and only our own that we raise. I don't like butchering time, but they have had a much better life than most meat birds, and we use a very humane method.

 

[hotmessJess]

If I am not mistaken, it depends on which half the silkie was. Wether it was the roo or the hen.  @RavynFallen
 explained it to me, and now I can't remember exactly which way it went. I think it was if the silkie was the roo, then the pullets would have dark skin and the roos light.

I learn something new everyday! I didn't realize this potential with silkie mixes.

 

[hotmessJess]

I don't mind him going to someone else's dinner table, honestly, but I don't have the heart to punish him for just rooster-in'. I would feel too guilty about taking his life for that.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Another reason why we don't search to re-home roosters is we eat chicken, and only our own that we raise. I don't like butchering time, but they have had a much better life than most meat birds, and we use a very humane method.

I can't. I just can't eat something I raised. I'm one of those people that if I was abandoned in the forrest and there were no fruit trees around I'd die. I'm a very picky eater to begin with, and fresh meat or killing something just isn't in my abilities....lol I'd die.

 

[JanetMarie]

I understand that, AmyLynn. It doesn't get easier either, for us, maybe for some it does. We hatch our own for the pullets, so that we don't have to support hatcheries, who throw unwanted cockerel chicks in the trash, and won't have any part of supporting that.