Confession of an idiot.. or how i learned to love my rooster

[JacquelineJ]

I'm a first year chicken owner. I've read many books, websites, forums and facebook pages. I've asked for help more times than I care to admit. Largely I have a happy flock. But I made some errors along the way, one of them quite recently.

Everyone knows (even me) that when you remove a bird from a pen then put it back after many days that bird is now the lowest on the pecking order. That, however, didn't stop me today when i was in a fog doing my rounds and I almost lost a really great rooster because of it.

About 2 weeks ago, while going through the "rooster candidates" I came to the bird we called "Hatchet." Incidentally it is his baby pic is my avatar, back when i liked him. I don't especially like Hatchet now, and if i am honest it's for the emotionally ridiculous reason that he never warmed to me the way another of the roosters did. Stupid reason. Hatchet, is in fact a great rooster. He's got good earlobes, clean shanks, he's a nice enough looking mottle, he's gentle with the girls when breeding, he finds them food and he doesn't beat up the babies. The hens love him, but I don't.

(again, for stupid emotional reasons)

This morning I grabbed him and put him in the freezer camp with the other candidates, to see about trying someone else. Then I went to refill the water can to do the rest of the pens. I was gone about 15 mins. I heard a crow I've never heard before. It was like a victory announcement.. it struck me as very odd. I walked back to check the freezer pen and smashed into a corner feet all a splay and no head in sight was Hatchet's lifeless body. I was sure he was dead. There was blood and no life signs. The other mottle was the one screaming victory and every other bird in my yard was silent.

In that moment I rushed in and scooped him up I carried him to the cabin. I washed him and stroked him and inspected him, he was alive but in shock. He's been thoroughly beaten, lost half a dozen feathers from his crest (which was a full crest and actually very attractive) and has two gashes, one on his comb and one on a wattle. It could have been worse, but I feel absolutely terrible.

It wasn't until then, when i'd caused him unnecessary pain that i realized I was being a jerk. He is a great rooster and there is no promise that any of the others will be better, but because he's been less "chummy" with me I was willing to push him aside and even put him in a hostile situation.

There you are. Confession of an idiot. Human pride nearly got in the way and cost me a super rooster.

He's currently in the yard with all his girls - even beaten they still love him. Whew.

 

[azygous]

Just wait and see how many mistakes one can make over ten years, let alone just one.

One of the things you may be slowly realizing is that a "good rooster" is actually the one that pays more attention to his hens than he does to you.

I good rooster will behave indifferently to humans, neither showing them affection or aggression. A good human will reciprocate and ignore the good roo, striking a mutual trust relationship. You trust him to do his job without interference from you and he will trust you to do yours without any theatrics from him.

That is a match made in heaven.

 

[aart]

Great Story, Well Told....
.....humorous self awareness will make you a great chickeneer,
and a much appreciated member of this forum.

 

[JacquelineJ]

Another, happy shock today.
The "second" rooster, who has for the last several days chosen to roost ANYWHERE but with the flock and Hatchet has been accepted. I am so relieved. Tonight I'd planned to start putting him into the pen. When I searched all the spaces he normally roosts to get away but safe he was not in any of them. He is on the opposite perch to Hatchet, with girls YAY!

I'm comfortable dispatching, (or as comfortable as I care to be) - I can do it with minimal distress to my extra roos but do not enjoy it. This boy has lots of characteristics I'd like to preserve, so I was NOT looking forward to it if he was going to freezer camp.

I was really REALLY hoping they'd sort it out. From a practical POV I need two roosters for my girls when they free range. He's also got different dominant feather genes so that is great.

 

[Folly's place]

Glad to hear things are going well now! I try to block out memories of all the stupid things I've done over the years...
Your two boys may or may not get along when spring comes; it's up to them, sometimes all will be well, and sometimes not. I overwintered six males last year; in spring, I rehomes two of them, just because. About a month later, my two white Chantie boys had a big fight during the day, and I had to rehome one of them immediately. It happens sometimes. Mary