Move Over Rooster! This Coop’s too crowded.

Roosters Not Allowed

So many chicken lovers live in areas that do not allow roosters. Even though we do not live in a city, but a small hamlet along the California Coast, our zoning allows us to have only 20 chickens but no roosters. A rooster’s crow can be heard for nearly a ¼ of a mile. So with respect to my neighbors I needed to find a home for the rooster I’d adopted.

Here’s the story:

Some inlaws had raised 10 chicks from day-olds. They were breeds known for being calm and tame. The family unexpectedly decided to put their home up for sale and relocate. They needed to find a home for their chickens as soon as possible. Of course, I raised my hand, anxious to get pullets who were friendly, young, and nearly ready to lay. I was able to find a home for my two remaining hens from a previously flock, Roxanne and Zelda. I cleaned and disinfected my coop and had my son pick up the ten 4 month old chickens.

What to do with the rooster?

Now the dilemma. One of the chickens is a beautiful Delaware cockerel (rooster). He began to crow immediately upon arrival. I knew I couldn’t keep the young beauty although I loved this “gentle giant”. I posted on Backyard Chickens for suggestions from the experts.

The advice was:

1. Kill the rooster and eat him. This is something I just couldn’t do.
2. Give him away.…This would also probably doom him to a stew pot.
3. Bundle him with a few pullets. Perhaps someone would want a “ready-made flock”.

Within five days, I’d found a family through Craigslist to purchase the rooster along with three pullets. They had recently lost their rooster and their older hens were not laying as many eggs as they needed. They wanted a “ready-made flock”. I was going to have to sell some pullets anyway. My coop was built for six hens and I really didn’t want the consequences of overcrowding.

I’ve kept one pullet of each breed, a Delaware, an Easter Egger, a Dark Brahma, a Salmon Favarelle, and two Barred Rock. I’m a happy chicken wrangler and I’m sure my neighbors are happy too!