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Goodbye Little Red
Goodbye Little Red
Many readers may have followed the life of Little Red since he was hatched out last year. From a tiny, fluffy rustic coloured chick he quickly developed into one of the most eager and inquisitive chickens I’ve ever had. However, from the word go his days were numbered. Having desperately hoped that he was a hen for many months, even when his sexual nature started to shine through, Little Red has finally convinced me that yes, he is a guy. Some hens will mount each other when trying to establish a pecking order, I’ve seen this done in my own coop. However, his enjoyment of this past-time seemed a little perplexing, as did the quantity of springtime love that he was relishing in. It soon became apparent that, unfortunately, he was destined for the kitchen. I gave him a reprieve of a few days, but now, having been awoken yesterday by the first morning sounds of a muffled crow, I’m afraid Little Red has to be despatched.
Whilst you may think that crowing is the only reason not to have a cockerel, this, in a way, is the least of the problems. Far beyond the noise, the angry neighbours hammering on the wall at 5am, the glares from behind twitched curtains when you leave your home, a number of more important reasons why keeping a rooster with urban hens is not a good idea exist.
Aggression
We’ve all heard of the tales from friends who were harrassed as a child by the farmyard cockerel. They can be evil little blighters and the fact that cock fighting exists shows just how aggressive cockerels can be. Whilst Little Red is currently quite a darling, once his spurs develop, his beak sharpens, and his eyes become more like those of Mordor’s Evil Eye, harmony at the bottom of my garden will be rocked.
Flock Dynamic
Adding a cockerel to the mix completely changes the entire dynamic of a flock. Whilst hens will establish their own pecking order when kept on their own, even at this early age, I have noticed that Little Red’s presence is already affecting the hens. They seem to squabble more, have become more vocal, and whilst their quiet pecking order was stable before, having Little Red around seems to be leading to more uprisings from those at the bottom of the ladder.
Broodiness
The last thing most chicken keepers want is broody hens as it means only one thing – no eggs. The natural instinct of a hen is to lay a clutch of eggs and then settle down to incubate, and you can’t really blame them. But if your entire flock are broody there’s not going to be much egg laying going on. And with Little Red around, hormones will be rife, and broodiness is more likely to occur.
Egg Longevity
I’ll admit it, I don’t collect the eggs everyday because there’s simply no need. Having a couple of eggs in the nesting box can actually help in stimulating hens to lay, and as long as you haven’t got a broody girl trying to hatch out those newly laid eggs, eggs can be left in the nestbox with little harm. However, with a rooster present and all eggs therefore likely to be fertile, leaving them for just a couple of days could see embryo’s starting to develop. That is not what you want to see when you crack open the shell for your breakfast.
So alas, Little Red has to go. The chicken despatcher arrived this morning so tomorrow afternoon I’ll probably be plucking away. Whilst I could attempt to rehome him it kind of defeats the object of keeping chickens. I happily eat meat, and this is a reminder of just where it comes from. And that, to me, is a thankful reminder that I never take meat for granted. But whilst I know Little Red has had a happy and clucky life, that dreaded deed that hangs on the horizon is something I’m not particularly looking forward to.
11 Responses to Goodbye Little Red
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