Roosters

[ChickTN2016]

Hi all,
I have been doing chickens for 8 yrs and have learned soooo much about them and the different things they get so on & so forth. I started with one rooster and I still have him and he is now about 7.5 -8 yrs old. His name is Sir Doodle(Barred Rock) He is definitely slowing down and I have had him to the vet 2x now for his bumblefoot. I believe we have it out now. But I swore I would NEVER have another rooster. Sir Doodle was somewhat aggressive towards us about his first 3 yrs then he tamed down alot and now is such a good boy. But last year I thought I was going to lose him at a time when a friend of mine mistakenly wound up with too many lavender orpington roo's. I did some research and read how the roosters are so gentle and non aggressive. So I agreed to take 1. HUGE mistake and a lie. His name is Alfredo and he is meaner and worse than Sir Doodle ever was. I really dislike him. He is very beautiful though. I gave him his own harem. lol. Then I had someone approach me wanting my fertilized eggs and they would do the incubating of the eggs and gave me 16 chicks. Ok, so now I have 9 5 month old roo's. I don't know what to do with them. They are getting to where when I let them out (by themselves) to free range they are starting to want to come after me and they do quite a bit of squabbling amongst themselves. I have been pinning them down to the ground when they come after me to let them know who is boss, I used to do that to their father Alfredo(but I can't do it to him now because I am afraid of him hurting me trying to get him to pin him down. Finally, I will get to the point... Sorry for the long post. I need to know y'alls opinion or experiences with batchelor pens for roosters and if they are successful or not? If they do not have access to hens will they still be aggressive? I love all animals and don't want to see any treated inhumanely. I would take these and sell them at an auction but I know that many people buy them for cock fighting. I can't do that. Ideally, I would give them to a farm if I knew that they would have a humane life up until time for being culled if they were going to be used as meat. But I also know people that actually give live roosters to their dogs to eat. I am sorry but I can't just give these roosters to someone that does that. So, I am asking for any ideas for them. I will make them a bigger enclosure all of their own if I have to and just keep them. Thanks in advance for your ideas and suggestions.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Well with my admittedly limited experience, I would cull them as they become a problem. Culling is not inhumane, if anything it is the best/only way to keep the peace and avoid injury to you and the other birds. Livestock that injures or tries to injure a person is best served for dinner, that goes for all problematic ones. If you cannot enjoy keeping these birds then find someone who will enjoy them for food and the best way to ensure they are used as such is to dispatch them yourself or have someone do it for you. Keeping them and allowing them to fight among themselves is no better than giving them to someone else for fighting.

I hatched 7 chicks, 5 of which were roos. Hatched another 9, bought another 20, gave a few chicks away to a friend. Ended up with the 5 older roos and another 4 little ones with the 19 pullets. Far too many boys. Older boys starting harassing the 1 older pullet, attacking each other and worse of all attacking my younger birds. Something had to be done and I ended up butchering 2 while another 2 got lucky and found a home last minute. One older boy remains plus the 4 young fellas. Peace was restored that day and I am able to enjoy watching them again. At least until the 4 younger cockerels start acting up, then I’ll be doing some more culling.

 

[Ridgerunner]

HUGE mistake and a lie.

Yeah. There are a lot of people on this forum that believe breed defines personality. It clearly does not. Each chicken is an individual and can be "good" or "bad". But that myth will never die. It is reinforced on this forum every day.

I need to know y'alls opinion or experiences with batchelor pens for roosters and if they are successful or not?

Most of the time they are successful, but like anything else dealing with living animals you can have exceptions. Still, if you isolate them from the girls they usually will not fight anywhere nearly as seriously. They will still determine the pecking order but most of the time that's just a skirmish compared to the serious fighting over the girls. I've used a bachelor pad a few times to house cockerels until they reached butcher age. It worked really well. I've never tried it with mature roosters.

I love all animals and don't want to see any treated inhumanely. I would take these and sell them at an auction but I know that many people buy them for cock fighting.

Not the professionals. They are too big, slow, and clumsy so they don't use dual purpose breeds for that according to a forum member that was into cockfighting when he was a lot younger. But not everybody is a professional. I could see some amateur think it would be fun to do. So, yeah, it is a risk.

I would give them to a farm if I knew that they would have a humane life up until time for being culled if they were going to be used as meat.

At 5 months they are a good age for butchering. They are probably too tough to fry or grill but there are many ways you could cook them. But I understand you'd probably have trouble butchering and eating them yourself. That is what I would do though, keep it in my control.

The more restrictions you put on them the harder it is to give them away or sell. But a few things for you to consider. I'll assume you are in the USA. If you are not then some of this may not apply without modifications.

Go to the "Where am I? Where are you!" section of this forum and find your state or country thread. Chat with you neighbors. See if any of them can convince you they would be a good home for those cockerels.

Chat with people at your feed store. They may know someone that would suit you but I'd ask about putting a notice on their bulletin board with all your restrictions. Again, they'd have to convince you they were acceptable to you.

Chat with a nearby zoo or wildlife rehab. See if they would want those cockerels to feed their animals. Confirm with them that the only way they would be fed to other animals is if they are already dead.

On Craigslist, see if you can find someone that would be willing to butcher those cockerels and share the meat with you so you know they were butchered.

Chat with your county extension office. They may know someone that could meet your requirements.

Good luck!