D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
March 2010
Funky Butte Ranch
Page: 3
April 4, 9:44 a.m.
Thea:
Roosters and young children don't mix well; keep a vigilant eye out. I have some unruly turkey toms at the moment! A friend said to me, when he was a child, the "bad" roosters were caught at the start of the chores and carried around upside-down by the legs for 5, 10, 15 minutes until the chores were done and then released. After a few trips to the upside-down ride, the roosters calmed down considerably. Now my tom (one bad one) is a bit heavier than a rooster, but it seems to be working after two times and a defensive dog. If you do cook the thing, make sure to slow cook the cock, they do get tough.
April 5, 8:10 p.m.
Sylvie:
Doug, I feel your pain. You risk further pain if you sacrifice Hank and then grow to regret taking his life for no good reason. He is, after all, doing what roosters are programmed to do. But your flock of hens doesn't need stud service so why not put HIM (along with your Subaru) on Craigslist, or better yet, give him to a neighbor. This is a pain-free solution all around.
April 14, 11:55 p.m.
Ladybug:
Roosters usually turn into pricks when they get older, as you have seen. It's gonna get worse so OFF WITH HIS HEAD!
I adore hens but don't much like roosters. They are mean, nasty animals and bully any animal they possibly can. WHO NEEDS THAT, I ASK?? Certainly not you or your animals:-)
Peace and good luck.
May 24, 3:53 p.m.
Perry:
It is a fallacy that all roosters are equally aggressive. Just like dogs, different breeds have different temperaments, and as stupid as chickens are, they do have personalities.
You need to kill Hank and replace him with a more docile breed such as a Silkie or a Plymouth Rock.
One approach might be to get two rooster chicks, and then eat the Alpha male before he gets too old and tough. You want a Beta male or one who is too busy fulfilling his "purpose" to go around making trouble.
August 6, 1:22 p.m.
Kevin:
One rooster is never enough. They need to take out their aggression on each other, not on the hens. Craigslist always has people getting rid of full-grown birds. Pick up a pair of adult roosters to add to the flock and you will fine.
August 19, 12:51 p.m.
Adrienne:
I agree, 25 chickens is too big of a flock for one rooster to protect. He is probably in panic attack mode and feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. Add another roo or two and after the pecking order is established, I wouldn't be surprised if things get much mellower.
August 25, 1:56 a.m.
John:
Men have always been known for their chivalry. If they are treated well by women, they get treated better in return. If women want to be taken good care of by their men, they need to respect and treat their men with dignity.
August 27, 1:54 p.m.
Barb Sawyer:
Does anybody know what breed of rooster he is, because I have one that looks just like him and he's the sweetest rooster I've ever had. But he's pushing 12, and I'd like to find another just like him!
August 29, 7:51 a.m.
OrgoCowboy:
Barb — I wish I knew, and as I mentioned in the Dispatch, he was sent unintended and unidentified by the "chick" company.
Sept. 6, 11 p.m.
Janice:
I believe your rooster is an Americauna. I got my 12 pullets (day old) in April: two girls of six varieties (we call them our yard art because they are so many beautiful colors). Anyway, about two months later, while lying in bed, I heard a distinct, but croaky crowing twice. Sure enough, our pullet, Claire, turned out to be our rooster, Clarence. He looks exactly like yours.
Sept. 7, 9:41 p.m.
Susie:
Why is it roosters have such mean little souls? I remember at about 2 1/2 years of age being flogged by a rooster. I was running in circles with the thing on my back beating me with his wings. I remember my mama slamming him with a broom, and I remember her frying him up for dinner. That was 50-plus years ago, and I still remember the terror he instilled and the pain he inflicted.
Oct. 15, 7:41 p.m.
Peter Quintin:
Just had four roosters prepped for dinner. The first one was very good and much better behaved than he was in life. We subbed out the task of converting them from nasty birds to a nice dinner. It is not a very pleasant task and is best avoided if possible.
Doug Fine's "Dispatches From the Funky Butte Ranch"
can be experienced at www.dougfine.com