Beginning A Rooster's Road to Recovery

[lydiagirl99]

Just posting so I can get updates ! I absolutely love the story. He sound like my rooster, Prince. He is so kind. I got very lucky with him considering I found him on craigslist.

Never pecked me and when he met the girls he was very sweet. Hardly any fighting ! Hoping everything turns out great with him

 

[islandgirl82]

Just posting so I can get updates ! I absolutely love the story. He sound like my rooster, Prince. He is so kind. I got very lucky with him considering I found him on craigslist.

Never pecked me and when he met the girls he was very sweet. Hardly any fighting ! Hoping everything turns out great with him

Thank you! Happy to have you join!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

What a great rooster and story! Keep it up!

 

[islandgirl82]

My 8 year old son helped me put up some fencing for Russell this morning as he had become far too restless in his previous accommodations. Russell is ecstatic with the new arrangement (same coop just a much bigger run that goes behind his coop amongst the trees) and I'm happy to have the help weeding. He has plenty of room for dirt baths and likes hiding in the greenery. He's been eating from my hands but prefers me to leave his treats on the ground or in his dish and I'm happy with this arrangement. I've even poked my finger in his dish while he's eating and he backs off to let me "eat" first. I could not be happier about his level of respect for everyone, children included. He moves aside even when they approach him. He will take apples from anyone but runs away with it to eat without an audience.

He crows mostly in the morning now and only until I've let all the girls out so he can see them. After that, it's only occasionally. I have a very quiet bunch of girls and not having another rooster around to compete with is making him even more subdued than he was when he arrived (I didn't really think that was possible).

Exploring his new space...





...and singing to the world about how happy he is with it.



Josephine keeping him company at the end of the day.

 

[lazy gardener]

Loving your story. Love your yard also!

 

[aart]

Great chapter to the story...pics are gorgeous.

 

[islandgirl82]

Thank you both. I love writing (and photography) and animals and all their antics make for great characters.

 

[islandgirl82]

Each morning I sit on a bench in the backyard and have my coffee while I watch the girls peck and scratch around in the grass. This morning, I decided to go about my morning ritual a little differently and after giving the girls a few minutes to themselves, I grabbed a scoop of feed and let Russell out, scattering little bits of feed on my way to his run and back to the bench. All the girls followed me to him and the whole flock followed me back. Everyone was far too interested in the pellets to pay him much attention. After he pecked around for a few minutes amongst them, he took the opportunity to put the moves on one of my RSL hens. He was quiet about it, no big production and she didn't protest but Hola, the BSL pecked him once and he dismounted. Okay. We're at least getting somewhere.

After that, he followed the girls around without trying to woo them and they were much more willing to accept his presence but they're still looking to me as top of the flock and he's remaining 110% respectful of that. Wise choice.

Before long, he was exploring the current isolation coop that the new hens have been staying in. It's having some major renovations done to it and is going from a 3'x5' childrens playhouse and repurposed to become the 6'x8' "Le Poulet B&B" (because that's where they'll all sleep and make my breakfast).



Last night, just before they all put themselves to bed a few of the ladies went to say goodnight.





Just after a quick reminder from Hola to mind his manners, especially during breakfast.





Quietly approaching Josephine, who likes to keep him company but is not so ready to accept his advances.





All his wounds under his wings have healed and the feathers are growing back in quite nicely!





Exploring "Le Poulet B&B" with Hola's supervision and just after he went in to scope it out, Hola was waiting for him outside and instantly submitted to him! Plot twist! I couldn't believe it. All this time, she was just bitter that he was paying the other girls all the attention and she just wanted him to herself!





And what's this??? In a nesting box with not one but TWO hens!! (Hola is laying her egg right behind him.) Look at him, he's stunned! He can't believe it! The girls are bickering over him (I didn't have the heart to tell him that Hola doesn't like to share the box but Grace Kelly really needed to use it)!




Gracie finally left the two alone and waited her turn to use the box (it had to be this one because, you know, hens!). Russell remained in the box until Hola was finished and then called Gracie in. When she was finished, he himself laid on both eggs while he called Java in. Java is a Dominique and also from the new bunch. She got her name a few mornings ago when she joined my daughter and me on the garden bench, watched me take a sip of my iced coffee and then snuck one herself! She was instantly named and has become my newest and most attentive gardening companion (and also the favorite from her group but wheesht - mustn't let the others know). She did not want Russell in the box and made such a fuss about it that when I went in the coop to see what all the commotion was about, she immediately squatted for me, with Russell still in the box. I ran my hand along her back a few times, she hopped out of the box and he took that as his cue that he hasn't earned her yet so he left. Good boy!

I'll still be keeping him in his own coop at night until the new girls have been moved out of their current one and in the big one with the my original flock. My original girls haven't had a rooster around in a long time and aren't quite so keen on giving this one the type of company he seeks. Today was one big step in a good direction for all though and his new approach will win at least most of them over before long.

 

[Kaylin]

Go Russell! What a great guy

 

[aart]

Freakin' Awesome!