Long story short, I bought two pullets from her and was convinced (easily) to take home a trio of cockerels as well for free.
Currently the five of them reside in a coop that they are rapidly growing out of. It isn't really cruelly small, it is bigger than most recommendations I've seen for chickens, but I'm used to birds that are free so it doesn't really make me happy. They are getting to about the size that I want to set the young hens out with the 'big flock', as I think they are big enough to defend themselves while they find their pecking order. Also I would really like to have that coop emptied and cleaned, so I can divide the youngsters that we hatched (8 remain now- looks like an even split for cockerels and pullets) into sex segregated groups as well.
As I looked around at my options, it seemed the only thing preventing me from doing just what I wanted- let the 5 Marans out, and divide the smaller babies between their two coops- was my adult rooster, Tango.
Tango is a big bird. I don't know his weight, because he won't let me near him. As his spurs grow, I'm more and more inclined to just leave well enough alone. He is the first one in our flock that is 'rumpless' (no tail on him, something he gets from his Araucana heritage, though he is not tufted- which is a trait I don't care for since it can be fatal. (Read more here if you're interested http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucana ) The three cockerels I want to release (and grow further before slaughter) are friendly with each other, because they grew up together. They are already flock socialized- which in terms of roosters means that they already have an agreement as to who is in charge. The two submissive roosters will know that all the girls in the flock are off limits to them. They won't crow either from what I've seen. All they do is act like non-sexual beings- help watch for trouble and in return they get to stay and hope something awful happens to rooster #1. This agreement keeps the peace, and gives the flock more than one protector (and potential 'fertilizer'- should something happen to the head roo).
This is all well and good, but Tango can't stand these little roosters. He spends a good part of every morning walking around their coop, crowing and beating his wings, and trying to find a way in. I'm quite sure if they got out, he would probably go right for them, pulling feathers out of their necks, bashing them with his feet, and literally trying to kill them if they don't head for the hills.
The logical thing was pretty clear- Tango would have to go into the freezer, right? After all, at least he's a fully grown rooster, which would make for more than a mouthful. Keeping him would be like picking three green tomatoes just to keep the red one on the vine, as sparing him would cause me to have to keep 3 more confined, or slaughter them too young and wind up with some 'cornish game hen' looking carcasses.
I talked it up all week, guess I was trying to get the nerve.
"It's not ideal, but surely the logical thing to do."
"We can't afford to get emotional with roosters, let alone chickens."
"They're livestock, not pets after all."
I went on and on about it. Jen sort of agreed, but probably knew I was just trying to convince myself.
The thing is, we really LIKE Tango. He is really sweet with the hens. When I throw them a bird pecked tomato (or strawberry, blackberry, cucumber or just a snail - these are their favorites), I have never seen him eat one. He gets to them first and starts cooing for the girls. Picking it up and dropping it over and over again, as if to say "Look what I found for you!" He hates to let me give them treats, everything has got to go through him, as far as he's concerned. When I know where he is, I throw them to him first and let him choose who gets to eat it.
He also is just really observant. I have never been able to snap a picture of him where he isn't watching me at a distance. He is constantly on guard. He'll growl a deep and quiet "groo-roo" whenever a large bird flies over. All the girls stop whatever they are doing and run for the shelter of the arbor or the avocado trees. Even when I'm outside, he tends to follow me around; staying between me and the hens whenever possible. The look in his eye seems to say, "You bring us some good stuff, but I don't trust you." He's probably noticed that when I pick a craigslist rooster or an old hen up and go outside the gate with it, it never comes back.
On top of all this, he isn't overly aggressive. We've had one in the past who was so protective of the girls that anytime I went out back to get eggs (or anything else really) he would come and smack me on the back of the legs with his feet, then run if I turned around. That was Rusty, and I never let him grow spurs; slaughtered him as soon as they started growing.
Today, while I had the nerve, I went outside with my .22. I fully intended to shoot him through the head (for simplicity's sake- catching him was going to be a problem).
I walked up to him, loaded a round in the chamber, and went to lift the rifle to my shoulder- he just looked at me and then did the strangest thing: He walked out towards me, so that he was a between me and the girls and then cocked his head and stared. Yeah, I don't think he knew what was coming, but the fact that he came closer to me to protect the flock in that moment, with what WAS coming- just took the will out of me. I couldn't do it! That's exactly the rooster I want watching over those hens.
I truly believe that a person who has raised a chicken with kindness, good food, and room to fully express their 'chicken-ness', has no reason to feel bad about taking it's life to eat it. Furthermore, I think it's a decent tribute to his sacrifice to go prepare him as a special meal- maybe raise a glass to him while he's eaten even. In this case though, I think it's another kind of tribute to keep him in the yard for another year and maybe raise a glass to him anyway.
Anybody know a great recipe for some cornish game hens?
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