Accidentally acquired a rooster

[chrissynemetz]

Hi, and welcome to BYC! We're glad you joined us!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[GreatLakesFungi]

Welcome to BYC! Trevor is beautiful, as are his future pullets.
I think you'll be able to introduce them at around 15 to 16 weeks. If you've never seen a rooster "romance" hens, be prepared. They make it look quite violent, but most hens enjoy a roosters company.
Also, be aware that your own relationship with Trevor may change. He will be more interested in the pullets than you, and he may even get upset when you handle them. If you have any problems, we are here to help.

I appreciate the heads up!

I fully expect that he will try to be as macho, tough, and protective as possible at first. It's only natural for Trevor to desperately want to protect his newfound flock so he doesn't lose them again.

That said, all of his hormones and roostering behaviors will probably be going into overdrive after all this time - but I'm hoping those same instincts should make him a very good and attentive male for them.

Heck, it's even my hope they are able to pick up a few things he's learned about avoiding the coyotes and foxes. Additionally, I hope he helps to lay out the boundaries of our yard (the fences certainly don't hurt) and show them the safest spots to forage.

I'm not sure if my expectations are set too high, or if these are behaviors that they will try to mimic in Trevor, but it's a great comfort to me that he'll be keeping a watchful eye on them.

I'm not sure if my welcome thread is the appropriate place to ask a few questions, but I figure I'll give it a try. Worst case scenario, if no one answers I'll just make a new thread in the appropriate susuboptimal.

1.) How should one strike the balance between encouraging my rooster's natural protective instincts and ensuring you remain the Top Dog?

A decade+ of experience with dogs has taught me that you'll have more success building on and working with those natural instincts vs fighting against them.

For example, my bird dog wants to run and be mentally engaged. As a pup, she was unsatisfied and almost bored with obedience training, but THRIVED when we did agility.

I've found that when you encourage those natural behaviors, you are giving and fulfilling an animal's purpose - which of course results in a very happy animal.

Now, I'm eager to apply this same knowledge with my flock, and to encourage many of these instincts for Trevor. But I've also read up on how everything is about dominance for roosters - so

1a.) what sort of behaviors should I be actively and even aggressively discouraging?

Obviously, any direct challenges to us will be met with strong pushback, but I'm also curious about

1b.) what sort of more subtle behaviors signify that Trevor may be trying to 'flex' over me? Actions of his that may not warrant me to correct it, but may be a precursor to him engaging in a behavior that'll need to be addressed.

I've heard that mating a hen in front of us is a big no-no, but I've got a question on the specifics of that:

We have a sun room with many, many windows. Trevor has made indications that he definitely knows we're there and can see into them.

1c.) Should he mate a hen outside (while we are inside this room), and he knows we are there, do we treat it the same as him doing it in front of us?

Or does the fact that we are in our own domain with a glass barrier between us, negate any problematic assertion of dominance?

Or maybe perhaps it is only something to correct if he does it continuously and deliberately while we are in that room?

2.) Are there any poultry faux pas that are commonly made by beginners?

Anything from inappropriate treats (I'm aware too much bread can trick them into thinking they're full, and therefore lead to a lack of nutrients in their diet), to mistakes when designing a coop.

3.) What types of positive body language or noises should I be aware of in Trevor?

Trevor makes a variety of clucking noises. From a long, low, grating sound, to quick energetic clucks.

3a.) Should the low grating noises always be interpreted as a negative? Whether that be a warning or him simply voicing displeasure.

3b.) What exactly does it mean when Trevor stands in one place, turning in a complete circle during foraging? I'm certain it is a positive, but I'm also curious to know what exactly he's trying to communicate.

3c.) Trevor does this thing, usually when he walks, where he will shake his head in a bit of an "oh no you di'n't!" gesture. What does this mean?

Is it simply him adjusting his waddle? His does hang fairly low.

4.) I'm looking for creative ideas to enrich the yard for my birds.

Description: We have several fenced in pastures totaling ~10acres with varying amounts of tree cover.

Right now, most are bare - so he sticks near the out building, fences, and trees. When I'm out there, Trevor prefers to remain close to me - especially if he goes into the open. Otherwise he sprints like a madman from his well-shaded checkpoints.

The entire property is fenced quite securely around the perimeter, and includes a handful of inner fences which act as partitions for smaller gardens. The house is located centrally within the lot and far back from the road, so it's nice and private.

I'm planning on putting up a few perches made out of tree limbs I've debarked and smoothed.

4a.) Are there specific spots I should place them if I want to encourage their use?

4b.) I've noticed the pullet love to jump up on their food and drink dispensers. Do chickens enjoy doing this behavior in the yard as well? If so, should I put up a few platforms for them in well-covered areas?

5.) Are there specific things I should do to ensure the chickens don't get too hot during the summer?

My husband informed me that a kiddie-pool will likely be of little to no interest to the chickens, but what about a sprinkler that emits a gentle mist?

5a.) How about the coop? How do I make sure that doesn't get all stuffy?

We're renovating a standalone shed that has a single, rectangular window and full sized door. It's ~6x8 ft big, with sturdy walls and a recently replaced roof.

We will likely be pouring concrete next weekend to replace the dirt flooring, since wild animals have grown very accustomed to digging their way under and into the structure. The concrete will be covered by a nice layer of wood shavings, making the cleaning process not too arduous.

The shed used to house a wood burning stove, so there's a hole in the roof that previously was home to a smoke pipe.

We found a good little replacement to stick in this opening. It's covered, yet still has some openings on the side for air to circulate. Will this be enough?

6.) Conversely, how do I ensure they stay warm during the cold winter months?

I've read conflicting information on whether or not a heat lamp is appropriate in the coop during these months.

7.) What are your chickens' favorite treats?

Trevor seemed to really like apples and carrots. He won't pass up bread if I offer it, but his favorite treat is easily mealworms. We've given him both dry and wet versions.

He was a bit uncomfortable with bananas - think he wasn't expecting them to be so soft and mushy.

...

Well, that was an unexpectedly long post. So if you've read all that, I'm eternally grateful for your time. I'm very eager to read the replies!

Here's Trevor and his rabbit friend:
Trevor seeing the girls for the first time:

Trevor looking beyond proud of this new development:

 

[janiedoe]

I would continue to pick up and carry your pullets around so that Trevor can see that you are not harming them. On the few occasions that, an otherwise gentle rooster, has tried to get aggressive with me, it's been because I've picked up a hen and she started screaming. If your pullets are used to you handling them, and Trevor is used to you handling them too, it shouldn't be a problem. As far as mating in front of you, I ignore it unless one of my roosters is being aggressive with the hen. In that case, I either pick the rooster up or nudge him off with my foot.

I don't use misters, but I'm in a hot humid climate.
I have branches and roosts in my runs, but in the yard they mostly scratch, dig, dustbathe, and graze.
If you are going to have a concrete floor, you will need to keep the roosts low so they won't injure themselves jumping down. You could use a rubber stall mat for extra protection to their joints, and put your bedding on top of that.