Operation Rooster Relocation

I have read that often times the favorite hen of chicken keepers many times turns out to be a rooster.  I hate to say it, but it happened to me.

Big Bossy

It became clear in the past month that my favorite girl was actually a boy. Big Bossy was bossy AND was violating my girls all over the place!

Then there was Perry.  He started out gender confused, if you recall.  The chicken we thought was Katy Perry who turned out to be Joe Perry.

Then there was Clyde who started out as Cruella but then clearly was a he.

We had 2 issues at hand, really 3...actually more but who's counting.  Issue number 1 was that the  hens in the house were mercilessly plucking the feathers from the heads of Perry and Clyde.  The crazy crested head feathers were just too much to resist and every time they put their head down, any hen nearby would pluck away.

Clyde's head, he is supposed to have a full crest of white feathers.  He was picked bald and bleeding.

The next issue was the constant attempts of Bossy trying to get busy with all of the girls.  They were getting skittish and on edge.  They would be minding their own business and then Bam(literally).  Then came the day when my 9 year old came to me and said,"Mommy Bossy needs to go. He grabbed a hen by the neck with his beak and was standing on her!"

So began the relocation quest. 4-H clubs, no dice. Fellow chicken keepers, no dice. Then I found Vinny.  Vinny is an old timer who lives a few towns over.  He promised that my roos would live a happy life(until they ended up in his pot). As long as they didn't end up in a cock fighting ring I was fine.

The day came.  PC was ok with the decision to rehome them.  He did love them, but they, especially Bosy were getting a little intimidating.  We crated them up and loaded them up in our SUV.  As you can imagine, 3 roosters in the same vehicle... a little loud and very funny when they seemed to be crowing to the music on the radio.

We got to Vinny's.  It was a winged paradise, full of chickens, geese, ducks and a bunch of other winged creatures. 

Vinny put the roos in cages to acclimate them to the run before letting them go.

It was easy, I hate to say it, but it was.  We had all become a bit anxious with the goings on in the coop.  We said our goodbyes and headed home.  We were welcomed by very happy hens.  The dynamic had changed almost instantly.  Hens that didn't like to be picked up suddenly did and they were all...happy.  It was a few days later, I believe in their way of saying thank you, they began laying eggs. 

Life is good...