Attack of the empty bucket

[NellaBean]

I actually have 12 that are about.....2-3 weeks younger, that are kept separate. They include a very large Jersey Giant cockerel who is nice (but not very protective.....bit me once when a pullet squawked but that is it) and a few iffy cochins.....PLUS 9 more less than a week old babies in the brooder in the bedroom. Straight run, so sure to have multiple Roos in there (sigh).

Crockpot is scheduled to go to his new home this weekend. His lady will move into the Jersey Giant's group......and hopefully they can go out into the big yard in a couple weeks once the cochins are a little bigger. I am tempted to keep him but he is really not nice to deal with and probably only going to get worse, so I think i will take a home now versus him living up to his name in a month or two.

His new home has a lot of experience with Gamebirds so either they will fix his attitude.....or I suspect he will be delicious.

 

[insiderart]

Quote:
LOL! This is so cute!

This whole thread is hysterical! Love the first pic where it looks like she is leaning on him! And the one where he is giving the poke salad "the eye". It's a shame he's so aggressive towards you.

 

[NellaBean]

He is one of those cockerels who have been obvious from day one. I only bought him because I needed one to keep the more "pullet" looking chick company. And if he was at least tolerable to handle, I would keep him.....but he threatens to attack and bites and is just a pain in the butt to try to catch every morning and night.

First day....standing in front of her (no its not a 4 legged chick, she was butt to the camera leaning down, ha ha)

And then a week or so later.....standing in front of her again....

A couple weeks later.....already giving me stink eye....

Couple weeks later.....still standing between us...

About a month ago....still between us....

And more recently.....nobody gets past him....

Except for buckets........

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I have a similar situation here. I use ice cream buckets for the 'free rangers' water. It's usually no big deal, but we have one little OEGB cockerel that fits right under it. And of course, he is too short to stand beside it and drink, he always has to jump on the side. I have found him under it twice, but luckily the buckets last them the whole day. So I find him in the morning when I go out to feed. If he would just STAND UP, the bucket would be up enough for him to get out, but I guess, when facing a predator that seems so much bigger than oneself, you just feel the need to crouch

Maybe he does it on purpose, to hide from the bantam/OEG roo that likes to bully the younger ones?

 

[insiderart]

He's had his eye on you from early on!

 

[thewarriorchild]

Aww he is so cute watching over her!! Maybe they could go together? I would really try and keep him but I know how they can be. I had a little mutt that was so nasty to everyone but me and sort of my daughter. He was so small you could just kick him away. So my brother in law comes over and he goes after him but not only does he get him with spurs he poops on him!!! lol EWWW it stunk and he wasnt long for the farm I think. With all these bears I wish I had some HUGE nasty roosters for a while! I to have had chicks under dishes...sometimes happy ending sometimes not so much. I switched to mostly the proper waterers and feeders when they are young. I am glad she is ok.

 

[cimarron]

maybe i'm being sentimental, but i think it'd be mean to separate these two. i mean, just look at them! that rooster would probably die of a broken heart if he went somewhere without his ladychicken. they're quite a pair.

i love that you've been documenting the evolution of his stinkeye too...good photographer you are

 

[NellaBean]

I know, I know, I have been having second thoughts all weekend. But today they were in their little pen and I could not for the life of me get him out. He threatens to bite or come at me if I try to grab him and as it is a short pen I basically have to just about crawl in to reach him, and then my face is at his level.

I finally grabbed the girl and put her in the night shed alone. When I was all done and he was still in there throwing a fit, I just opened the door and walked back to the garage.....he actually followed me down the hill and into the garage and jumped up on a bin next to their night shed...so I picked him up and put him away.

Where's a bucket when you need one?


I will try that tomorrow morning also. Hopefully if I just grab his girl, he will follow me around. She is very sweet and easy to handle...and one of my few FOR SURE girls, so I will not be giving her away. Either he goes, or he doesn't...but she stays.

Maybe HE needs a timeout under a bucket for a little while.

 

[horselover58]

Now OhioGirl THAT is a good one. I can't even imagine what dh said after you found that chicken and he spent $300.00. But I would have done the same thing.

 

[NellaBean]

I'm happy to report that we have had no further bucket attacks!

Crockpot the Evil Rooster is no longer leaving his lady to live with my friend...unless his attitude gets too horrendous. Hopefully he will learn to tolerate my Giant Rooster.....I have 2 RIR 1.5 week olds in the brooder for him. Hoping for girls, but think I have 1 of each. I would like to build him a harem of reds and whites and leave my Giant Rooster to the "others" (blues, cochins, polish). Pretty sure I might need separate pens because of his attitude. I want to eventually "free range" in a half acre fenced yard and figure Crockpot the Evil Rooster will be the best guy for the job (giant rooster is mellow and not overly protective of his girls) to keep the ladies safe any buckets that might get in.