Rooster Dispatch

As my summer chicks have gotten bigger, it has become abundantly clear that all three are, in fact, roosters.  They were cute when they were young but are not so desirable as adult birds.

Beemster in the middle flanked by two young roos.

We are now in the unfortunate situation of having four roosters and twenty hens.  It is typically recommended to have one rooster per ten hens.  That means that we have two times too many roosters.  This ratio is taking a toll on my poor hens.  Almost all of them have bare backs and bums from the frequent amorous encounters required to satisfy four roosters.

Moreover, while spending time with the goats in the evening I have done a fair amount of hen watching and the young roos are very aggressive in their interactions with the hens.  After a mad chase around the hen house with much noisy squawking and flying feathers, the young roosters grab the hens by the scruff of the neck with their beaks and wrench them down into submission in order to climb on their backs.  It does not look very pleasant. This is in marked contrast to Beemster who is super chill.  He sidles up alongside a hen, slowly mounts and does his business. The hens do not even seem to notice that he is around.  Maybe this is because they have been so traumatized by the other roosters.  Regardless, some of these roosters have got to go!

I have dispatched a rooster before, Cornelius, after he blinded Kate my favourite duck by attacking her with his spurs, but for tasks like these I usually enlist Ian's help.

Done and dinner.  Two birds with one stone (or three roosters with one axe, as it were).  Now we only have Beemster left.  As long as he remains docile, he has a home here at Gael Glen Farm.  I do love his energetic crow at sunrise.  There is no better way to start the day.