This past spring when we embarked on our chicken thing, we chose to go with all girls; pullets as they are technically called. I made up the theory that there is an ordinance against having roosters in our town (maybe there’s no such thing, but I needed a more valid excuse other than I’ve heard roosters are mean-ish). So far, our young ladies have been a lot of fun to have around and fingers crossed they’re all good egg layers, but there’s one young lady that certainly has developed a lot quicker than the rest. Big feet, a full 3-part comb, and it’s kind of a bully to the rest of the ladies. Hmm.
Did you know there is a real job out there called Chicken Sexers? Well, there is and there aren’t many and the job is difficult. Still, you have a 10% chance of getting a rooster when you think you’re getting a pullet. Chickens don’t really start exhibiting gender-identifying traits until they start getting feathers, and even then it’s still difficult to determine. So, you’ve got to wait a little longer.
With each passing day, our particularly-quick-maturing-chick is getting more and more aggressive with the rest; domineering if you will, and is developing some surefire rooster features. At first glance early on, the dude looked like a lady, but now, the dude is looking more like a dude. Roosters happen.
From my research, here is how to tell if you have a rooster: size, strut, feet, combs, saddle feathers, tail feathers, and of course, the crow. For the size, roos grow a lot faster than pullets. Their strut is unmistakeable, and their combs are developed quicker. Their saddle area feathers, which are located on the chickens back and right before the tail, waterfall down and end in points instead of curves. And for the tail feathers, they arc down away from the body and are long and usually beautiful. But really, the best way to know that you have a roo is to wait for the crow. Then, there is no mistaking.
Queen Bea, as we have called it up until now, resembles all of these features, though no crow has been heard yet. And, with each passing day, it seems to be wearing out its welcome with the rest of the ladies. So once I hear that crow, here are my options: I can keep it and try to referee the meanness and pecking on the rest and hope the crow doesn’t disturb the neighborhood; I can try to find a local farm that will take the rooster, or I can process it (the cost is about $10) and make some soup. Though we eat chicken weekly and I don’t think twice about picking up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery, I’m just not sure I can process him. Our primary reason for having chickens is for the fresh eggs. I don’t have any interest, nor room, to incubate the eggs.
So I need ya’ll to weigh in. What would you do? As I said earlier, roosters happen.
Brooke, I couldn’t process him either, if it turns out to be a “he”. Best option, in my humble opinion, is to “gift” him to someone (a farm, a petting zoo, urban peeps with a chicken coop?). Good luck………..
I wonder if there’s an agriculture association that would accept a donation??
Does the local high school have an FFA/Ag program? Maybe they can raise him?
I can offer a few great recipes. Tired of men bossing the women around. Check one for process.
#metoo
I for one love to hear the rooster crowing. It is just meditative to me, nature at its best. Unless he continues
to pick on the chick ladies, and gets violent I would keep him.
Antje
Eggstra Eggstra …. Since I’m a news junkie, I just love your headline! Had to share.
My vote … pay the dude forward and cluck him over to a local farmer. Good luck!!!
If you keep him, this will come in handy someday.
https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/07/cook-old-chicken.html
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You might want something a little fancier.
https://manyfoldfarm.com/blog/blog/2012/12/coq-au-vin-or-the-magic-the-french-use-to-coax-the-most-inedible-meat-possible-into-something-delicious
Not sure I could process him either. And if by some chance you were to happen to mistakenly get another he, they do fight to the death! I’d try to gift him or maybe give him to someone else who won’t mind prcessing him! When I was a kid my brother brought home a baby lamb. Bozo, as we called him used to play with our dog and the neighbor’s dog. When my brother went into the Army he had to make a choice to process Bozo or give him away. Well, he gave him away and the family that took him couldn’t process him either. I think Bozo lived a long life!
I ended up with a rooster, that 10% sexing thing. At first I was very unhappy and thought to make him in to soup but now adore him. Loud is great, he is social, friendly, and best of all he keeps the hawks away. He crows every so often but nothing to drive you nuts. The hens gather around him and follow his lead. If I sit out in the paddock on my chaise with a book he perches on the end and seems to being chatting about his day with soft guttural noises. One afternoon a fox roamed near the fence line and he went on the attack, fluffing himself up to almost twice his size, screaming, jumping in the air with wings outstretched. That fox scurried off in a hurry. He’s my favorite of the flock.