Re: [madbees] Re: Free Pet Roosters

[jeanne hansen]

Did anyone come to claim the pet roosters??

 

Thanks!
Jeanne Hansen
824 Jacobson Ave
Madison, WI 53714
608-244-5094

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From: Matthew Hennek <matthew...@gmail.com>
To: madbees <mad...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 10:02 PM
Subject: [madbees] Re: Free Pet Roosters

Another pic of the white polish.


On Friday, July 15, 2016 at 9:58:47 PM UTC-5, Matthew Hennek wrote:
> Pet Roosters might sound like an oxymoron but we ordered 6 baby hens from McMurray hatchery this spring and got 4 hens and 2 roosters.
>
> Our favorite boy is a mottled Houdan. He's a real nice boy and has been handled literally every day. He's very talkative and makes funny sounds.
>
> The other boy is a white polish. He's handleable but not quite as friendly but very pretty. Polish chickens are hilarious with their head feathers.
>
> They crow as roosters tend to do and are a bit too loud for our neighbors. My wife also doesn't want the male/female chicken things.

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[H. Adam Steinberg]

Does he need any more roosters? I have dozens... :)

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 18, 2016, at 8:52 PM, Matthew Hennek <matthew...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Thanks for asking Jeanne. We just brought them to theur new home tonight. It was a fellow beekeeper and it's a chicken paradise. Totally free ranging with ~200 ladies. We're very happy even if we did have to give them up.

>
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[Chan Wilson]

Ha, no we don't thanks thou! We like to keep the rooster / hen ration pretty low.

'sides, we're mostly in it for the eggs...

--Chan

[James]

I raise a lot of chickens, (meat and eggs), and get calls every year from hobbyists that want me to take roosters off their hands.  I refuse for disease reasons, as should anyone else.  But if you're going to raise chickens, have the responsibility to learn to butcher them.  And if you're not willing to do that, than don't raise them.  You're little more than a puppy mill, only with birds.  And a rooster less than 12 months old has some of the most flavorful meat you'll ever taste.  But chicken "rescue" is something that should never be needed.  

On Monday, July 18, 2016 at 9:18:17 PM UTC-5, H. Adam Steinberg wrote:

[H. Adam Steinberg]

I  disagree. I raise free range mixed breed chickens with excellent genetics. And I have never had any trouble finding people who want my roosters for butchering.

Sent from my iPhone

[James]

If that's true, then why are people providing chicken rescue services?  

[Paul Zelenski]

I think the difficulty is when you try to give away your roosters, but won't allow the takers to butcher them. I certainly see why many roosters are destined for the pot, and that seems like the simplest solution. If people want to put in the effort to try to find homes for their roosters, however, that's their business. There is a simpler solution, but many people get awfully attached to their animals. 

[H. Adam Steinberg]

No clue. I never used the word rescue.

Sent from my iPhone

[Greg V]

+1
If not for the kids and my suburban neighbors, I would take care of the unwanted roosters.
I grew on young, free range rooster meat.
Really, really delicious.
Really, really healthy.
Especially of the egg laying breeds.

On Sunday, July 24, 2016 at 12:39:03 AM UTC-5, James wrote:

.....  And a rooster less than 12 months old has some of the most flavorful meat you'll ever taste. 

[Greg V]

Don't where you read, this Matt.
Did I ask for a rooster to "keep"? 
Take it easy now - "immoral".. :)

I would buy and raise them and then use them for meat (if not for my kids or the neighbors).
I hope this is very clear.

On Thursday, August 11, 2016 at 5:24:42 PM UTC-5, Matthew Hennek wrote:

"If not for the kids and my suburban neighbors, I would take care of the unwanted roosters.I grew on young, free range rooster meat."

If you honestly would actively take in roosters that people think you're going to keep and eat them, that's just immoral. 

[Didi Guse]

Please respect our bee forum and back-channel discussions about chickens and roosters (and immorality).

Many thanks,

D. Guse

Madison, WI

[James]

Ya Know Didi, it is about bees!  And every other living thing that people try to raise (including children).  When you take the step to raise something, than you have to be willing to take responsibility for every contingency that might occur.  You have to think ahead.  I don't like stray dogs coming in and killing my chickens.  Or people trying to dump sick or unwanted chickens on me.  Or beekeepers that make no attempt at pathogen control or swarm prevention.  A 50% overwintering death rate in bees doesn't make me blink one bit.  Like a stray dog, one unresponsible beekeeper can infect a fairly large area.  I question sometimes whether the feel-goodiness (I made that word up) of hobby beekeepers is warranted.  As much as I like to see all the new hives scattered across the countryside, I'm still not sure that we're seeing progress.  I could even believe that with the increased import of out-of-state bee packages, we may be making things worse.  I throw that out as a philosophical challenge:  Are you REALLY making things better?

[morpho6]

I concur whole-heartedly with the message posted by Didi. Info or ideas posted re bees may have value here.  I believe other topics, moralizing, or personally judgemental statements about other people made on this forum do not add value here and should be avoided or be expressed using some other forum.

Sent from my U.S. Cellular® Smartphone

[Joseph Bessetti]

Nice segue from chickens back to bees/irresponsible beekeeping.  I don't agree with all that you've written, but I think there is some common ground to be had.  (Or I might be sorry I responded.  Oh well, here goes...)

 

What would you define as "progress"?  

I agree that it's not progress to have hives scattered across the countryside collapsing of varroasis.  However, propagating bees that are dependent on chemical treatments for their survival most certainly isn't progress either.  Yet, those are the bees all the new beekeepers end up with, and without treatment they frequently collapse.   But should the blame really be pointed at the new beekeeper?   I agree that they aren't making things better by purchasing these bees and either being ignorant of the need to treat them or hoping to be treatment-free and end up somehow with a different outcome. 

Personally, I blame an industry that wants quick fixes and maximum profits.  I also blame the bulk of the beekeeping community who aren't demanding sustainable (sustainable = the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance) alternatives from their suppliers. 

I do like the new word, "feel-goodiness".   If it didn't have such a negative connotation it could have been catchy.

Joe

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From: mad...@googlegroups.com <mad...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of James <hendri...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, August 12, 2016 12:40 AM
To: madbees

Subject: Re: [madbees] Free Pet Roosters

[Paul Zelenski]

Yes, it is fine to quickly offer roosters or plants or other things that might be of interest to the group, but please let's not have extended discussions on the morality of roosters. Please let this topic die. 

[James]

Well, Joe, people are getting uncomfortable with this topic.  But isn't it odd that in every form of agriculture there are restrictions on moving stock across geographical barriers.  You can't take an orange to Arizona.  If you take a pig to the county fair, it must go to the butcher immediately.  The list is endless.  But with bees, moving stock is nearly unrestricted.  And we know they're probably carrying something.  And we don't even know a fraction of the maladies that may be out there.  Doesn't seem consistent with standard disease control strategies.