Rooster Chat

[Aylala88]

My silkie roosters that I adopted from the sale barn as adults this summer. They are sweet and timid. On fully white and the other is fully black. (back left)

Aren't silkies supposed to have a puff on top of their head? Do you suppose these guys got plucked? Do you think they will grow back in or are they a mixed breed?

 

[the poppster]

Aren't silkies supposed to have a puff on top of their head?  Do you suppose these guys got plucked?  Do you think they will grow back in or are they a mixed breed?

Oh...that's a Silkie Roo...they don't all have a big puff on their heads...I have a little black Silkie Roo...he is 100% Silkie, but he isn't any show bird...although he doesn't know that. When he faces off with his arch nemesis...he fluffy out his ruff! You can't even tell he has a ruff! It's hilarious!

 

[Aylala88]

Quote: Thanks for the info

 

[ldawntaylor]

This is proving to be an interesting journey.

One of my youngest cockerels startled me the other morning. I went out to the coop just before leaving for work to make sure they had water for the day. As I reached the gate he flew up to the cross piece by the gate (a support to keep the gate steady). I guess he thought he could perch on that the way the bantams do.

Well, as narrow as the space is he wasn't able to do what he wanted so he just kept flapping his wings and "climbing" the fence. Each time he flapped his wings his feet would move up to the next bit of wire. He ultimately ended up on the roof of the hen house.

He seemed to really like that spot.

The legs of the bantam cockerel are starting to turn red. He was also trying to mount one of the bantam pullets. She was cooperating with him until the other cockerels noticed what was going on. That extra attentions broke the mood I guess.

I'm sure this journey of keeping chickens will keep being an interesting one....

 

[Aylala88]

Quote:

OMG a couple of my RIR's used to do that! The first time I actually saw it I told my husband and he looked at me like i was nuts. I told him we needed to put a top on the run.

 

[ldawntaylor]

OMG a couple of my RIR's used to do that! The first time I actually saw it I told my husband and he looked at me like i was nuts. I told him we needed to put a top on the run.

Thankfully my run is fully enclosed. My bantams would be getting out regularly if it wasn't. I wonder if he will still do that once he reaches his adult weight?

 

[Aylala88]

Quote:

My big rooster was never much for heights. He would go to the top of the roost at night but nothing else. My hens however are very naughty and like to roost in trees!

 

[uzisuzuki]

I know this is 3 days late, but I usually let my roosters work it out themselves unless it's a serious fight where blood is being drawn. In that case I usually pick up the one getting hammered on & walk away. However, my flock of peafowl seem to be the bird law enforcement of my yard now & end up stopping any fights the roosters have before things get serious.

(I should also mention, all my roosters are bantams so getting in the middle of a rooster fight with real sized roosters maybe isn't the best idea?)

 

[cabinchicky]

I know this is 3 days late, but I usually let my roosters work it out themselves unless it's a serious fight where blood is being drawn. In that case I usually pick up the one getting hammered on & walk away. However, my flock of peafowl seem to be the bird law enforcement of my yard now & end up stopping any fights the roosters have before things get serious.

(I should also mention, all my roosters are bantams so getting in the middle of a rooster fight with real sized roosters maybe isn't the best idea?)

Probably not a good idea that you mention it. Wonder how one goes about it with large birds with spurs? Have a standard and bantam rooster I one flock who don't fight but I am adding a new male in a different flock soon for breeding stock. So how does one split up a bad fight between a pair of 8 lb or more birds? Anyone??

 

[microchick]

Yesterday I went outside to discover that one of my roosters had gotten out of the bachelor cage. It took me a while to catch him and when I finally did, I just put him in the main coop and told him to go visit for a bit as we were on our way to the timber to harvest wood.

An hour later when we got back Dos, the escapee rooster and Primo, his hatching brother who is the rooster in the main coop acting as lieutenant to the flock master, were going at it hot and heavy. I don't interfere. They have done this before and what I do is wait till they wear themselves out and then intervene.Usually one or the other calls it quits before then but this time neither seemed willing to do that. They were so tired that the most they were doing was making half hearted attempts to dive at one another's combs and wattles and bump chests. Their wings were hanging on the ground and they were panting like little steam engines. I saw my opportunity and simply went in and picked up the escapee cockerel, Dos. He seemed relieved to be rescued at that point. I set him down near their water bowl and he stayed their drinking his fill. On the way by, Primo was doing the same thing.Sitting beside his water dish so all he had to do was dip his head in and get a drink. They were both exhausted.This morning Dos looks like he has gone 8 rounds with a prize fighter. Primo definitely lived up to his name.

Roosters are going to be roosters. As long as they are not trying to seriously injure one another or kill one another, I let them work it out between themselves. In the past I have dowsed them with a bucket of water if things get too violent. Sometimes it works but sometimes it doesn't.