Gonda
Songster
- Nov 14, 2009
- 191
- 15
- 174
I have a small flock of chickens, 11 hens and usually 2 roosters. The alpha rooster is a very nice RIR, about two and a half years old. The other rooster is a cochin, also a lovely gentleman. I know two is too many ideally for 11 hens, but I had more hens and eventually will have more, and I can't part with either of these two roosters. I have raised chicks, bred and hatched here, a few times now, and each time, I have to get rid of a rooster or two out of the new hatches. I'm in that predicament again. I have two 21 week roosters that need to go, and I have a buyer, but now I'm having second thoughts. The one young rooster has been my little buddy since the day I rescued him from the wrong side of the fence when he was a little chick. After I rescued him, he came up to me, pecked my hand, put his head against my hand, let me stroke him. Since then he flies up onto the roosting planks when I'm in the coop and stands near me, waiting for me to stroke him. He's also flying up, but not at me, just jumps up on the pail when I come in with hen scratch. And, this is one of the two that I now have to sell. And I'm having second thoughts.
I have two questions: at what point do you start thinking about replacing an alpha rooster? Mr. Red is a wonderful guy, looks after the ladies and chicks well and is a perfect gentleman towards me. I don't want to replace him yet. But, I also don't want to get rid of this little buddy of mine. But, I can't keep both. My 2nd question then is: is this friendly little guy going to remain friendly, or is it going to be a problem when he gets older, if he's flying up now, sitting on the pail as I walk into the coop. Sitting up on the planks waiting for me is cute, and jumping up onto the pail is cute now too, but what will happen when he's older? Should I hang onto the old man? How long do you keep a healthy, active alpha rooster? When do you decide to replace him with a younger one? How do you decide which one to replace him with? I wonder how things would go in the flock if the alpha rooster was gone and a young upstart took his place.
Should I keep this little guy that's bonded with me? I have no idea what kind of home he'll be going to. I don't dare to ask the buyer what he'll do with these two young roosters. What do people do with 21 week roosters? They're not great for meat at this stage anymore.
One reason I decided to put the two young ones up for sale is that one or two hens seem to be getting a little fatigued. I've had one in a dog kennel in the coop for a few weeks and let her out last week and immediately, the two young roosters went at her, and she disappeared with her nose into a corner of the coop. So she's back in the kennel until the two roosters go.
Any advice?
I have two questions: at what point do you start thinking about replacing an alpha rooster? Mr. Red is a wonderful guy, looks after the ladies and chicks well and is a perfect gentleman towards me. I don't want to replace him yet. But, I also don't want to get rid of this little buddy of mine. But, I can't keep both. My 2nd question then is: is this friendly little guy going to remain friendly, or is it going to be a problem when he gets older, if he's flying up now, sitting on the pail as I walk into the coop. Sitting up on the planks waiting for me is cute, and jumping up onto the pail is cute now too, but what will happen when he's older? Should I hang onto the old man? How long do you keep a healthy, active alpha rooster? When do you decide to replace him with a younger one? How do you decide which one to replace him with? I wonder how things would go in the flock if the alpha rooster was gone and a young upstart took his place.
Should I keep this little guy that's bonded with me? I have no idea what kind of home he'll be going to. I don't dare to ask the buyer what he'll do with these two young roosters. What do people do with 21 week roosters? They're not great for meat at this stage anymore.
One reason I decided to put the two young ones up for sale is that one or two hens seem to be getting a little fatigued. I've had one in a dog kennel in the coop for a few weeks and let her out last week and immediately, the two young roosters went at her, and she disappeared with her nose into a corner of the coop. So she's back in the kennel until the two roosters go.
Any advice?