Beginning A Rooster's Road to Recovery

[Kaylin]

He sure sounds like a special boy and what a home for him to have ended up in. Lucky guy! He may not have thought he was lucky before but this traumatic event may just have been the best thing to happen to him.

 

[buckabucka]

Hi islandgirl!
Marking my spot in your thread. Good luck with the new rooster.

 

[islandgirl82]

Hi Bucka! Thank you and I'm glad you've joined!

 

[islandgirl82]

He sure sounds like a special boy and what a home for him to have ended up in. Lucky guy! He may not have thought he was lucky before but this traumatic event may just have been the best thing to happen to him.

Thank you. He seems quite happy here and we're glad to have him.

 

[islandgirl82]

I'm pleased to say that the rooster is making a quick recovery. I've been spending time with him in the evenings petting him after he's nestled in for the night. He chatters to me some and when he's had enough he just moves away. I've been able to look him over a bit closer each evening and have been able to see he's parasite-free, his wounds are healing nicely and his feathers are beginning to grow back in. This morning I was even able to catch a glimpse at his backside - which hasn't been easy because he likes to keep an eye on me at all times. What had been extremely red and severely swollen is now a normal shade of pink, swelling is gone and quills are poking through.

I ran into his previous keepers at a school function a few days ago and they were pleased to get an update. They've also invited my children and I over to their house to visit.

He's is still in his own coop but I decided it was time to teach him that the hens are first and foremost, mine and that our dog is not to be feared. What better way to teach him than to let him get used to seeing how relaxed the girls are with us before he can join the flock? He cooed and called to them as soon as he saw them racing around the lawn and in the flowerbeds but when the dog and I sat in the grass and the girls swarmed us, his pacing and calling ceased and he just stood watching, clearly confused.

A couple of the girls (not pictured) dared to get closer to him after a while and I was pleased to see that instead of trying to look for a way to get out of his run, he rushed under the coop and laid down, whispering to them, trying to woo them under there with him. What a gentleman! My last rooster was terrible with my girls and would brutally attack them and force himself on them. Those who resisted he would be even more aggressive with, constantly chasing them away from the rest of the flock, not letting them in the coop at night or even to lay their eggs. He even mutilated the comb of my Hamburg (the girl on my lap in the first photo). These are the reasons I wasn't keen on having another rooster but this boy is showing me just how different each one can be.

I will continue to get him used to seeing our interactions until it's time to let him join the flock.

 

[Kaylin]

Does he have a name yet?

 

[lazy gardener]

Nice thread. Love your dog. Wish my pup would show that "calm" around chickens!

 

[islandgirl82]

Does he have a name yet?

The way the girls kept gawking at him and giving him oogley eyes before they were able to get closer reminded me of the paparazzi and he wouldn't stop crowing....so Russell Crow it is. Which goes along with the theme here anyway. The dog's name is Willie Nelson (he's just so mellow), The cat is Ava Gardner, my late Silver Laced Wyandotte was Audrey Hepburn (one classy bird and looked fabulous in black and white), Amelia Earhart the Golden Spangled Hamburg (they're excellent Flyers btw), Olive Oyl the olive egger and the list goes on.

 

[islandgirl82]

Nice thread. Love your dog. Wish my pup would show that "calm" around chickens!

Thank you. Willie has always been great with anything little. When I first started raising poultry, he used to sleep curled up around my duckling brooder and once they were big enough to venture outside they followed him everywhere. He would even let them have first dibs in his water bowl.

 

[Kaylin]

The way the girls kept gawking at him and giving him oogley eyes before they were able to get closer reminded me of the paparazzi and he wouldn't stop crowing....so Russell Crowe it is.  Which goes along with the theme here anyway.  The dog's name is Willie Nelson (he's just so mellow), The cat is Ava Gardner, my late Silver Laced Wyandotte was Audrey Hepburn (one classy bird and looked fabulous in black and white), Amelia Earhart the Golden Spangled Hamburg (they're excellent Flyers btw), Olive Oyl the olive egger and the list goes on. 

Perfect! Love all the names