Where to give away my rooster?

[hzdjj]

Apparently, I didn't expect my buff Orpington to be a rooster, but there you go. I couldn't keep it in my backyard without raising eyebrows among my neighbors (I live in a relatively dense city neighborhood).

I tried to post it on craigslist/nextdoor, and I found most people asking didn't sound either sincere or serious. Usually they lived in the similar neighborhood, and some didn't even have chickens in the backyard. I felt that my "Jack" (yes we changed his name from "Rose" to "Jack") would end up worse if I gave him to those people.

I tried to call a local farm and they said that it would be a disaster to introduce a rooster to their big flock, which I wasn't sure, but it may be true.

So what is my choice here? I am even thinking I'd raise him until he crows so loud at which point I will euthanize him... which might be better than giving him away to some random people. Ideally, I wanted someone who had a small flock and lived in the hills / countryside interested in taking him, but seemed like hard to find.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Many of the people on Craigslist were likely looking into using him for food. Unfortunately most of us that have the set up you're wanting for him already have the males we need, if not more we're also trying to move along introducing a male to a flock that already has males would be a disaster.

 

[Mellowmalt]

yep males are a headache but you might get lucky. Some will only crow morning and evening for a few minutes or if they get spooked but others can crow every 5 minutes and if they feel like it in between. The problem with any male is that it will will start crowing at 5 am in summer and nobody wants to get woken at that time. Even if he's quiet for the rest of the morning he's still woken the neighborhood. He looks quite big so he won't have a quiet crow. I'd keep him till he becomes a problem. I've heard of people giving unwanted males a home but honestly I'd question anyone who does it or lets put it another way - I would not be surprised if a few of them went to feed the people taking them in, after all feeding a bunch of males isn't free. So if I were to donate a male there who knows what would happen to him. I have donated a male to such a place and was told he would be homed on a farm with someone looking for a male but that was just wishful thinking as nobody wants a spare male lol. Did I regret my choice? Not at all. At the time I was happy he was going to a good home and I would not have been able to kill him and in hindsight thinking there is no way he went off to a farm to have his own flock ever again but he wasn't laying any eggs, became aggressive and crowed a lot so he had to go.

 

[hzdjj]

Thanks! Sounds like he is more likely to die soon than anything else. He is 2.5 months old and already crowing every morning 5:30..., just not very loud. Not sure when it'll become a big issue. I am afraid my neighbors will write me up to the city if I let it live a few weeks more.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Have you checked with your local animal rescue? My local SPCA takes roosters.

 

[hzdjj]

thanks. checking with them now.

I know the answer is mostly no, but still want to ask if it'd be wise to release him into the wild. I know probably won't survive, but at the same time, giving him to these people also means he likely won't survive either.

Also speaking of wild chickens, I know Hawaii islands have a lot of wild chickens, so it's not entirely true that chickens won't survive in the wild.

 

[HappyClucker7]

I know the answer is mostly no, but still want to ask if it'd be wise to release him into the wild. I know probably won't survive, but at the same time, giving him to these people also means he likely won't survive either.

Absolutely not.

 

[Iluveggers]

Is there a zoo or animal rescue place near you?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

thanks. checking with them now.

I know the answer is mostly no, but still want to ask if it'd be wise to release him into the wild. I know probably won't survive, but at the same time, giving him to these people also means he likely won't survive either.

Also speaking of wild chickens, I know Hawaii islands have a lot of wild chickens, so it's not entirely true that chickens won't survive in the wild.

Absolutely not. He likely wouldn't last the night

 

[hzdjj]

I called a couple SPCA/rescue place. Either they are closed due to COVID or they say they don't take chickens.

Honestly, I agree that the best bet is to bring him to an animal rescue place of some sort. Otherwise, I think he is dying soon one way or another.