Goldenrod1210
Songster
Through the six years of having chickens, I've had 2 roosters, Sunflower and Gustav. The first, Sunflower, was the sweetest rooster EVER. He'd allow you to pick him right up and cuddle, and was so good to his hens, always giving them treats and things. Then, during his 5th winter, he got a severe case of scaly leg mites (he was part bantam, I think). I didn't know about scaly leg mites, and I didn't check the chicken's feet over very good in the winter, because it was so cold. When it started getting really bad I started researching and then decided to take him in the house and treat them. He stayed overnight in the house, and was pampered like a little king. 
They were doing a little better the next morning, and he missed his hens, so I let him back out to the coop, thinking I'd treat his poor feet in a couple of days or so. Then it got really busy (it was around Easter), and I didn't think too much about the chickens. Then, the day after Easter, tragedy. I went to lock up the coop, and he was laying on the ground. He had passed just a few weeks before his 5th birthday.
I decided to get another rooster a couple of months and here Gustav comes in. He was a bantam, and he was TINY!
He was sweet, just like Sunflower, and very good to the hens. The hens loved him. Gustav was almost just like Sunflower, just in a smaller package with red feathers. It was adorable, seeing him strutting around in the yard, obviously thinking he was much bigger than he really was. Then tragedy struck again.
A hawk swooped INTO THE CHICKEN YARD and grabbed Gustav
. The hens were squawking like crazy when I rushed out. The hawk was GINORMOUS (it was a red tailed hawk) and it flew away. Luckily it left Gustav, and I was able to bury him. 
Poor little Gustav! I'd only had him for 2 months. It was just like burying another little Sunflower. The hens were devastated. A couple didn't lay eggs for days.
I just wanted a memory of my two sweet little roosters. Rest in peace, Sunflower. Rest in peace, Gustav. XOXO
They were doing a little better the next morning, and he missed his hens, so I let him back out to the coop, thinking I'd treat his poor feet in a couple of days or so. Then it got really busy (it was around Easter), and I didn't think too much about the chickens. Then, the day after Easter, tragedy. I went to lock up the coop, and he was laying on the ground. He had passed just a few weeks before his 5th birthday.I decided to get another rooster a couple of months and here Gustav comes in. He was a bantam, and he was TINY!
He was sweet, just like Sunflower, and very good to the hens. The hens loved him. Gustav was almost just like Sunflower, just in a smaller package with red feathers. It was adorable, seeing him strutting around in the yard, obviously thinking he was much bigger than he really was. Then tragedy struck again.A hawk swooped INTO THE CHICKEN YARD and grabbed Gustav
. The hens were squawking like crazy when I rushed out. The hawk was GINORMOUS (it was a red tailed hawk) and it flew away. Luckily it left Gustav, and I was able to bury him. Poor little Gustav! I'd only had him for 2 months. It was just like burying another little Sunflower. The hens were devastated. A couple didn't lay eggs for days.I just wanted a memory of my two sweet little roosters. Rest in peace, Sunflower. Rest in peace, Gustav. XOXO
Welcome to te BYC community, we are a giant family. We are all here to support eachother in these sad times. It sounds like you had some pretty special roosters, I personally love roosters to pieces so I'm sad to hear you lost them. If you ever have questions, please ask! We will answer to the best of our abilities! 
