10 week old cockerel protects flock!

[lauralou]

We had to cull our flock rooster due to excessive aggression. We have really missed his protection of the hens. Haven't missed being flogged by him at all...

We have (3) 10 week old cockerels.

Yesterday evening, we were sitting on the back deck, relaxing, and all of the chickens were roaming around on the ground near the deck when one of the cockerels gave the "danger from the ground" alarm. (Yes, we speak chicken-ese!) He was strutting around between the hens and the bush country that is our back yard.

So we jump up and start looking, "What does he see?" Well, there was a groundhog about 150 feet away, an old gray fellow, grazing on clover.

I know, that's really not terribly dangerous, but we were so proud of our little man!

 

[rooster-red]

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

What a good boy! We have some the same age. One likes to "guard" the run fence from our Beagle. I decided he's a keeper.

 

[CathyB]

What a hero!

 

[lauralou]

I know! We're so tickled about it! Our girls free range, and I worry. A rooster really is a great source of protection for them. They just seem more alert to danger than the hens are.

We bought our previous rooster as an almost-adult, and he hadn't ever been handled. So, I've been handling our little guys as much as possible and they're very sweet. (So far.) We also have another cockerel from a later hatch. He's a tiny little cutie, another Dominique. I hope I get a great rooster out of the bunch.