Beginning A Rooster's Road to Recovery

[Leahs Mom]

Thanks for the link @islandgirl82 Enjoying reading your adventure!

 

[islandgirl82]

Welcome and I'm happy you're enjoying it!

 

[Starseed]

Following!
Imo, if you want the girls to bond with each other, the best way to do that is by uniting them under 1 rooster. And if you want them to do that, you may have to accept not being your girl's #1 anymore.

If I were you, I'd just let him out, sit back and watch the natural flock dynamic play out. All this constant challenging you are subjecting him to will undermine his confidence, and make him more wary of you in the long run. Give him a chance to do the right thing, and you may be surprised.

 

[islandgirl82]

Following!
Imo, if you want the girls to bond with each other, the best way to do that is by uniting them under 1 rooster. And if you want them to do that, you may have to accept not being your girl's #1 anymore.

If I were you, I'd just let him out, sit back and watch the natural flock dynamic play out. All this constant challenging you are subjecting him to will undermine his confidence, and make him more wary of you in the long run. Give him a chance to do the right thing, and you may be surprised.

Welcome and thank you for your suggestion. I've kept a flock for years and have gone through many integrations. My girls are integrating very smoothly with each other. My rooster needs to know that I am number one, not him and by just letting him out for a free-for-all would be stressful particularly for my girls who are not used to having a rooster around - some still hide from him when he is out and the last thing I want is for them to be too fearful to go into their own coop to lay their eggs or to roost at night. We've been through that before and it's not something I am willing to accept. Their health, safety and well-being comes first and slow, steady integrations are my method. I've had great success this way.

 

[islandgirl82]

I've been picking the girls up one by one in front of Russell and he's settling down a little more each time. I'm also making sure my children hold and pet the girls around him. He needs to know that they're above him too. He watches but his body posture is much more relaxed and he's not calling out his predator warning quite so frequently when he sees me.

My daughter passing out treats...

 

[aart]

Great!! Good observations and management of this integration......hope he keeps his cool and had good manners.

 

[islandgirl82]

Thank you. My children and I are a very active and outdoors-y trio and we spend a lot of time playing outside and interacting with our flock. Aside from giving my hens time to acclimate to the new guy, I need to make sure he's not a threat and doesn't feel threatened to and by any of us especially given the unpredictability of the fight or flight instinct.

This is also why teaching him that my dog is here to help and not harm is so important. Willie's number one priority is me and my safety (then the children - though I do wish that were reversed). He is very non-responsive unless someone is physically being hurt. My last rooster was close to becoming non-existant twice. The first time was when he bit me and drew blood. The dog heard me shout at the rooster and came tearing across the yard snapping at him. He never touched him but I have no doubt he would have had I not called him off.

The second time he went after the rooster was when the rooster was viciously attacking and drawing blood from one of my hens. Willie and a West Highland Terrier that we had at the time both went after him, chasing him away from the flock and the pair sat with the girls for the rest of the day, making sure the rooster couldn't get near any of them.

The last thing I want are repeats of our experiences with that rooster or worse because not only could the dog hurt or kill him but he could do some serious damage to Willie (and us) so the more time this one has to safely observe how harmoniously our inter-species interactions are, the better for all of us.

 

[aart]

Your experience, good common sense, understanding of animal behaviors and the ability to spend a lot of time observing and 'managing' said behaviors...and being articulate in conveying all the activities......has been the highlight of my visits to BYC recently, so Thank You!

I am retired so also have a lot of time to observe and adjust things (can't imagine raising birds and working full time) am only 3 years into chicken keeping.
Kids are grown and long gone, birds are confined, only one dog left who has no interest in them really(except poops) and keeps well clear of beaks when they do meet on chance. Not sure I'd be up to managing as much as you do....but I certainly find it all fascinating.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Willie and a West Highland Terrier that we had at the time both went after him, chasing him away from the flock and the pair sat with the girls for the rest of the day, making sure the rooster couldn't get near any of them.

Amazing dogs! They sound like a real asset.

 

[lazy gardener]

I also am enjoying reading about your management style, IG!