BBG2014
Hatching
Hello - From reading other threads, I know that freezer camp is probably imminent in my roo's future, but I was wondering if anyone else has ever seen anything like this. We had 6 hens - 3 RIRs and 3 Golden Orps and our roo of uncertain breed. The RIRs and the roo were all bought together as babies in January. The goldens came in May. The RIRs are content to stay in the fenced area we have for the chickens, but the Goldens frequently fly over the fence and free range for the day. Our roo hates this. A few weeks ago, 2 of the goldens got out and my husband caught them and put them back inside. He said there was quite a ruckus over catching the second hen. Later that night, I noticed one of our goldens (it's unclear if she's the "ruckus" hen or not) sitting on the floor of the coop away from the others. She seemed to be paralyzed and limp on one side. By morning, she was dead. Since then, the roo has been attacking me every morning. I wore my steel toed boots and reinforced bibs and heavy duty gloves and took a stick with me to put him in his place. He came after me, I charged him. I chased him around the yard and did my best "crow" impression. I smacked two sticks together and caused a commotion. I didn't let him eat. I stomped my feet at him. He walked away as if disinterested. I thought, "good, we got THAT settled" and turned my back to go into the coop. A split second later I turned back and he was charging me again. I nailed him with the steel toes and sent him flying. As soon as he landed, he came after me again. Yes, I was scared to death! So, I turned tail and ran. Probably the worst thing, but I was afraid of getting my eyes clawed out! Anyway, later that day one of the goldens got out again. When I put her in the coop later that night, Mr. Creepy (Roos new name) started pushing the other hens out of the way so he could get to the golden, as if he was going to "teach her a lesson". It got me to thinking that maybe he killed the other hen too. So, hubby and I stole Mr. Creepy out of the coop in the middle of the night and have him in a small abandoned coop in solitary. I was hoping a few days there to cool his jets might help him hit his reset button, but someone told me that will just make him more aggressive. I don't want to cull him, he was such a good roo before all this happened! but I think he may be past rehabilitating. Has anyone ever had a roo kill a hen before? He seems vicious and controlling now - definitely Mr. Hyde!! anyone want to teach a couple of city slickers trying to be good country folk how to kill a rooster??? ugh!
