One eyed rooster

[Carolrich]

hello! I have a 13 to 14 week old rooster (barred rock) who lost his left eye due to an infection. (We went to a vet and he was on antibiotics, drops and oral for around 20 days .We kept him separated from the rest of the flock.) The infection is gone but his left eye is gone. I am beginning to integrate him with my eight 15 week old hens. I am doing this slowly and using the integrating processes I have read about at BYC. The hens chase him around mercilessly whether in the large fenced area or free range . I fear he becomes very stressed. So I keep him separated by a fence so they can see each other but not interact unless I am present to monitor. I haven't put him on the roost with them at night yet. He is adjusting to the loss of his eye as well as integration. Any thoughts?

 

[HomeHatcher22]

I would continue with what you are doing but i would try one night just to see what happens it might turn out just fine.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Integration of cockerels and roosters into an all female flock is usually fairly easy. Mostly because, at a visceral level, they want a male with them. I'd keep up what your doing, and once everybody was used to each other with the fence between, just put him in the coop one night. There might be some scuffling the next morning, but nothing terrible. By then he should be used to his vision as well.

 

[aart]

hello! I have a 13 to 14 week old rooster (barred rock) who lost his left eye due to an infection. (We went to a vet and he was on antibiotics, drops and oral for around 20 days .We kept him separated from the rest of the flock.) The infection is gone but his left eye is gone. I am beginning to integrate him with my eight 15 week old hens. I am doing this slowly and using the integrating processes I have read about at BYC. The hens chase him around mercilessly whether in the large fenced area or free range . I fear he becomes very stressed. So I keep him separated by a fence so they can see each other but not interact unless I am present to monitor. I haven't put him on the roost with them at night yet. He is adjusting to the loss of his eye as well as integration. Any thoughts?

They are young, might wait for physical contact until the girls are laying.
Was he in this fence situation while healing from the infection?
I'd give him more time to adjust to his vision loss....then maybe put one of the girls in with him, his territory, see what happens.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

He may prove sterile. I say this because a young rooster kept with equally young pullets usually makes the pullets life difficult. Now it is normal and usual for older hens to dominate a cockerel, at least until such time as the cockerel is mature enough to turn the tables on the older hens.

 

[centrarchid]

The pullets are going to kick his butt whether he is a blinker or not. They have numbers, age and possibly size on him. Keep him separate until he is closer to 8 months of age.

 

[Carolrich]

Thank you for all the feedback. We are new to chicken raising (going on year 3) and have never had a rooster. Stanley, the one eyed roo, is very sweet and clingy to my husband and me. He always wants to sit on our shoulders. I just cringe when I see him running away from the girls looking terrified. Many people have said to just throw them together and let them work it out. If he had both eyes, I might try this but hesitate because of his new disability. I will continue to keep him in the run that is separated by a see through fence from the large yard until he matures some more. Thanks again!

 

[aart]

. He always wants to sit on our shoulders.

I would break this habit pronto....he could put your eye out doing that!
He really shouldn't be allowed to jump onto your body without being invited first(if at all).
Best for cockerels to keep their feet on the ground and out of your way.
Granted his sight issue makes that harder to do, but still. start 'weaning' him.

 

[Mrs. K]

What you see as friendly, he does not. He sees it as dominance. He has no fear, therefore no respect. I too, would strongly recommend stopping that behavior of jumping up on you, especially if you have children.

Roosters can go from the darling to the nightmare very quickly. This board is full of posts documenting that. The best roosters acknowledge you, but move so as to be away from you, respecting you. They are not like puppies, where as if you are nice and cuddle with them, they will return the gesture.

I am confused, you have had chickens for three years, but your hens are only 15 weeks? Or do you still have them separated from another flock?

I agree, he needs to be older, but keeping him away from the flock will just make him more of a pet, a dangerous set up if you want to keep him long term.

You might try combining everything, old and new, depending on how many you have in your older birds flock, and what your set up looks like and measurements. Sometimes, if you change up everything, have hideouts, multiple feed stations and enough space you can confuse everyone, and spread out the pecking across all the newcomers. If that does not work, then keep him separate for some considerable more time, but keep him hands off.

I would not put a single pullet with a rooster that is shortly about to become ver randy.

Good luck,
Mrsk

 

[Carolrich]

What you see as friendly, he does not. He sees it as dominance. He has no fear, therefore no respect. I too, would strongly recommend stopping that behavior of jumping up on you, especially if you have children.

Roosters can go from the darling to the nightmare very quickly. This board is full of posts documenting that. The best roosters acknowledge you, but move so as to be away from you, respecting you. They are not like puppies, where as if you are nice and cuddle with them, they will return the gesture.

I am confused, you have had chickens for three years, but your hens are only 15 weeks? Or do you still have them separated from another flock?

I agree, he needs to be older, but keeping him away from the flock will just make him more of a pet, a dangerous set up if you want to keep him long term.

You might try combining everything, old and new, depending on how many you have in your older birds flock, and what your set up looks like and measurements. Sometimes, if you change up everything, have hideouts, multiple feed stations and enough space you can confuse everyone, and spread out the pecking across all the newcomers. If that does not work, then keep him separate for some considerable more time, but keep him hands off.

I would not put a single pullet with a rooster that is shortly about to become ver randy.

Good luck,
Mrsk