The Rooster Removal

More sunshine and warmer weather means the songbirds are singing more this week. But I hear less music coming from the chicken yards. In most years, I send the young roosters to the butchers in late November or early December. But a combination of winter weather and busy Wednesdays kept delaying their trip. When the days lengthened, the roosters became more active. That meant more mating and fighting in the chicken yard. In the early morning light, I loaded six roosters and delivered them to the butchers. We now have one rooster and 10 hens in each chicken yard. The hens are breathing a sigh of relief. I'm becoming accustomed to enjoying the rooster solo instead of the rooster choir.