Rooster getting out of hand. Isolated him from the hens Sell or stew?

[JimnRuth]

Got some Buff Orpingtons and Easter eggers this spring to double my flock. One turned out to be a rooster. Thought he'd be cool to have, maybe raise some chicks. But he's turning into a real nuisance. Harassing the hens, bullying and jumping them at every opportunity. Egg production is down to almost nothing and the few we get are a mess. He's got to go. I built a pen for him out of pallets in the chicken yard with a log to roost on. I kind of dreaded trying to grab him as I can't get near him during the day, as feisty as he is. But we went out after dark as we usually do to close the coop. Walked over to him and picked him up and placed him in his new home. Now what to do with him. I'm leaning on cleaning him and put him in the instapot with veggies.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He may mature out of his bad behaviors. Most young cockerel are a pain if there are no older roosters to keep them in check. It may take months, or even a couple of years for him to behave better towards the hens. He's extremely hormonal currently and acting on those urges.

Do you really need him, and are you willing to keep him separately for a while, maybe a long while? Otherwise in the freezer they go here. I don't put up with those behaviors anymore. Too many cockerel to choose from.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

Got some Buff Orpingtons and Easter eggers this spring to double my flock. One turned out to be a rooster. Thought he'd be cool to have, maybe raise some chicks. But he's turning into a real nuisance. Harassing the hens, bullying and jumping them at every opportunity. Egg production is down to almost nothing and the few we get are a mess. He's got to go. I built a pen for him out of pallets in the chicken yard with a log to roost on. I kind of dreaded trying to grab him as I can't get near him during the day, as feisty as he is. But we went out after dark as we usually do to close the coop. Walked over to him and picked him up and placed him in his new home. Now what to do with him. I'm leaning on cleaning him and put him in the instapot with veggies.

Sometimes that the best thing you can do. You don’t want to sell him to someone who can’t handle him, and he’s causing problems for you and your hens. Fatten him and have a nice dinner.

 

[Mrs. K]

Let him go. He is ruining your enjoyment of your chickens. A lot of roosters do not turn out. Try again next year.

 

[JimnRuth]

Well the rooster is in the oven as I write this. Monday morning I got everything set up and butchered him. It went a lot easier than I had anticipated. My neighbor has some meat chickens and will be harvesting them in a few weeks, so it was a good experience for both of us.

I put a feed bag in a bucket to catch everything. Hung him off a bamboo pole with his legs tied. Had the water heated up on the stove which I brought outside, waited for the temp to drop to 160 degrees while it bled out. Dunked him for a minute using a stick to hold him under. hung him back up and defeathered him. Then cleaned him out and hosed it all down.

We brined him overnight in the fridge, seasoned up with olive oil, garlic and herbs. Smells wonderful so far.

The girls are calming down now and I hope egg production will come back soon.

 

[Mrs. K]

There, you did it. It is a very important part of flock management that a lot of people try and avoid. Once you do it, not so hard the next time. And eventually it just becomes a good management practice that allows you to have healthier, happier, more peaceful flocks.

 

[I Love Feather Babies]

Well the rooster is in the oven as I write this. Monday morning I got everything set up and butchered him. It went a lot easier than I had anticipated. My neighbor has some meat chickens and will be harvesting them in a few weeks, so it was a good experience for both of us.

I put a feed bag in a bucket to catch everything. Hung him off a bamboo pole with his legs tied. Had the water heated up on the stove which I brought outside, waited for the temp to drop to 160 degrees while it bled out. Dunked him for a minute using a stick to hold him under. hung him back up and defeathered him. Then cleaned him out and hosed it all down.

We brined him overnight in the fridge, seasoned up with olive oil, garlic and herbs. Smells wonderful so far.

The girls are calming down now and I hope egg production will come back soon.

Well, I didn’t need the details but glad your problem is solved 🍽

 

[JimnRuth]

Egg laying is picking up. The new easter eggers and orpingtons are starting to lay as are the older girls. Cool beans! That rascal was indeed causing all the mayhem.

 

[Mrs. K]

It is often amazing how things calm down when you get them out of there. I recently pulled out 6 cockerels, and within two days, things are much calmer, you can feel the tension is less.

Flock management is more than wishing they would all be nice.

 

[bobbi-j]

Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m glad your flock is settling down.