Cockerel won’t go in coop

[Jjdesmo11]

Hi! I recently combined 4 groups of chickens I know probably not advised but seems like everyone is getting pretty well and no blood is being shed. Well I have a young cockerel (I assume) who was a class project at my nephews school. They incubated eggs and gave him one chick I know it’s appalling. Anyways he’s always been a loner and prefers to roost on my swing set. Last 2 nights since we opened the coop and let them free range I’ve had to catch him... and only him. Luckily he’s easy to catch. We have no problem with predators and before we added the babies we left the coop and run open day and night. I know this is a matter of preference but should I push for him to join the crew or just let him continue to be a loner and sorts fend for himself?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Let him be a loner, but put him in at night. Often a bottom or submissive rooster will hide out from the rest as long as he can get away. How big is your coop? A smaller coop will make him afraid to go in.

 

[Jjdesmo11]

I’ll be honest since we added more chickens (our neighbor incubated our chickens eggs with out asking and said they are ours) we are over crowded. The neighbors chickens have about 3 roosters that we will need to get rid of and maybe a few hens. Originally we had a crew of 5 hens 1 rooster. Added 4 chicks and our neighbor had 10. Its 6x8 coop with a run and food under coop. Remind me of sq foot calculation? I did it and realized it was too many so I need to get rid of some chickens. Would Craigslist be the best way? Lots of questions. Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It's easy for flock size to get ahead of coop space. We personally butcher any extras, so I'm not familiar with using craigslist personally, but many have said they use it.

 

[Jjdesmo11]

That’s the way to do it. I’ll admit I haven’t butchered any but hoping it’s a last resort. I’m a pansy

 

[aart]

(our neighbor incubated our chickens eggs with out asking and said they are ours)

I would not have taken these chicks....
....they incubated them, it's their responsibility.

Maybe you and your neighbor should partner in slaughtering all the extra males for meat?
...or give them all the males and tell them 'you hatched them, they're yours'

 

[chickengeorgeto]

... combined 4 groups of chickens.... Well I have a young cockerel... [whose] always been a loner and prefers to roost on my swing set.

Let him be a loner, but put him in at night. Often a bottom or submissive rooster will hide out from the rest as long as he can get away....

The most contentious time for lower ranking birds is bedtime. This is the one time of the day when the pecking order is at its most brazen. To learn take a folding chair out to your coop and take with nothing with you to distract you flock, sit there quietly and watch them go through the pecking order attacks. It will open your eyes.

Also something that you may not notice like roost mites may make your chickens shy away from your coop.

 

[snow5164]

Even if your square footage is small installing more roosts might reduce the tension,

Work with the height in the coop for now .