This is a discussion, not necessarily an advice request. I'd like to share this with you all as an observation following a drastic change in the relationship between my two roosters, Strawberry, a seven year-old Cream Legbar and six year-old Tootsie, a Legbar/EE cross.
It happened two days ago that I caught a glimpse of my two roosters running and screeching after each other not long after I let them out early in the morning to free range before it got too hot. Not long after, the older rooster disappeared. I searched frantically all day for him, thinking the worst and hoping for the best. I have no shortage of predators, but I didn't find a single feather let alone an alarming pile that would indicate he had been taken. I held out hope I'd find him alive or he would return.
Later in the afternoon, Toosie was crowing and I heard, off at a distance, Strawberry replying. I was able to get a direction from Strawberry's reply and then I saw him under a juniper tree about fifty yards from the run. Saying I was both relieved to see him and elated he wasn't dead would be an understatement. I ran to him and he promptly ran off. I went to fetch a treat to lure him back to the run, but he had disappeared again by the time I returned to the spot where I'd seen him. Another two hour search of the pine forest ensued, and I was beginning to think I'd seen a ghost or imagined seeing Strawberry.
Finally, I found him again and lured him close enough with a jar of corn to grab him. I carried him back and deposited him in the run with Toosie. Strawberry proceeded to melt down in panic and fear upon seeing Toosie. This was a shock since Strawberry had been a doting daddy roo and had taken it upon himself to discipline and train his son to be well behaved around humans and respectful to the hens. For Tootsie's six years of life, Strawberry kept a tight reign on him, occasionally engaging in mock cock fights where the two would face off and display hackle feathers, or Strawberry would give chase to Tootsie if Toots stepped out of line in any way. Other than that, the two have been the very best of friends. Now, Strawberry felt bereft of all his rights to food, water, his place in the flock, and yes, his very existence. Strawberry was self exiling.
It didn't take much to reach the conclusion that Tootsie had finally challenged his pop. And won. Strawberry was sporting a badly injured comb and mangled ear lobe. The behavior changes were stunning. Tootsie was now number one and acting like it, growling at his pop and his pop whining and panicking if Tootsie took a step toward him. Like magnetic poles flipping, these two had drastically swapped ranks. Tootsie was the clear beneficiary while his pop was at the other extreme - something resembling a psychotic break. It was clear Strawberry couldn't tolerate being in the same space as Tootsie. I let Strawberry have the bachelor coop to himself and Toots had to sleep in the "jail" in the main run that night.
The next day, I focused on desensitizing Strawberry from his traumatic experience. I built my run with compartments that can be closed off when needed. I left Tootsie in the jail and Strawberry in a section adjacent. They were separated but could still see each other. Strawberry could feel secure knowing a fence prevented Tootsie from attacking him, and I threw three hens in with him to massage his battered self image. After about three hours in proximity to each other, Strawberry was calmer and seemed more self assured. I could imagine Strawberry taunting Tootsie saying, "I have three girl friends over on this side. How many do you have? Oh, right. You have exactly zero."
By that evening, Strawberry was nearly back to his old self, so I decided to try the two together in their bachelor run. Strawberry immediately retreated to the far corner where he cowered. I offered both boys live meal worms to distract them from their strained relationship. Gradually, both boys were side by side taking worms from my fingers. I left them and sat outside the run on a swing and kept a close eye on the two in case they started brawling. All seemed calm, if a bit strained. I left them on their own to go into the coop to roost, half expecting Tootsie to go inside first and Strawberry to remain out in the run overnight.
Later, I was surprised and happy to see both boys roosting shoulder to shoulder on their perch as they have for six years. And twenty-four hours later, they seem to be back to being best buddies. Except for one minor detail - Tootsie is number one roo. At least until Strawberry realizes he can take that back from Toots. Stay tuned.
It happened two days ago that I caught a glimpse of my two roosters running and screeching after each other not long after I let them out early in the morning to free range before it got too hot. Not long after, the older rooster disappeared. I searched frantically all day for him, thinking the worst and hoping for the best. I have no shortage of predators, but I didn't find a single feather let alone an alarming pile that would indicate he had been taken. I held out hope I'd find him alive or he would return.
Later in the afternoon, Toosie was crowing and I heard, off at a distance, Strawberry replying. I was able to get a direction from Strawberry's reply and then I saw him under a juniper tree about fifty yards from the run. Saying I was both relieved to see him and elated he wasn't dead would be an understatement. I ran to him and he promptly ran off. I went to fetch a treat to lure him back to the run, but he had disappeared again by the time I returned to the spot where I'd seen him. Another two hour search of the pine forest ensued, and I was beginning to think I'd seen a ghost or imagined seeing Strawberry.
Finally, I found him again and lured him close enough with a jar of corn to grab him. I carried him back and deposited him in the run with Toosie. Strawberry proceeded to melt down in panic and fear upon seeing Toosie. This was a shock since Strawberry had been a doting daddy roo and had taken it upon himself to discipline and train his son to be well behaved around humans and respectful to the hens. For Tootsie's six years of life, Strawberry kept a tight reign on him, occasionally engaging in mock cock fights where the two would face off and display hackle feathers, or Strawberry would give chase to Tootsie if Toots stepped out of line in any way. Other than that, the two have been the very best of friends. Now, Strawberry felt bereft of all his rights to food, water, his place in the flock, and yes, his very existence. Strawberry was self exiling.
It didn't take much to reach the conclusion that Tootsie had finally challenged his pop. And won. Strawberry was sporting a badly injured comb and mangled ear lobe. The behavior changes were stunning. Tootsie was now number one and acting like it, growling at his pop and his pop whining and panicking if Tootsie took a step toward him. Like magnetic poles flipping, these two had drastically swapped ranks. Tootsie was the clear beneficiary while his pop was at the other extreme - something resembling a psychotic break. It was clear Strawberry couldn't tolerate being in the same space as Tootsie. I let Strawberry have the bachelor coop to himself and Toots had to sleep in the "jail" in the main run that night.
The next day, I focused on desensitizing Strawberry from his traumatic experience. I built my run with compartments that can be closed off when needed. I left Tootsie in the jail and Strawberry in a section adjacent. They were separated but could still see each other. Strawberry could feel secure knowing a fence prevented Tootsie from attacking him, and I threw three hens in with him to massage his battered self image. After about three hours in proximity to each other, Strawberry was calmer and seemed more self assured. I could imagine Strawberry taunting Tootsie saying, "I have three girl friends over on this side. How many do you have? Oh, right. You have exactly zero."
By that evening, Strawberry was nearly back to his old self, so I decided to try the two together in their bachelor run. Strawberry immediately retreated to the far corner where he cowered. I offered both boys live meal worms to distract them from their strained relationship. Gradually, both boys were side by side taking worms from my fingers. I left them and sat outside the run on a swing and kept a close eye on the two in case they started brawling. All seemed calm, if a bit strained. I left them on their own to go into the coop to roost, half expecting Tootsie to go inside first and Strawberry to remain out in the run overnight.
Later, I was surprised and happy to see both boys roosting shoulder to shoulder on their perch as they have for six years. And twenty-four hours later, they seem to be back to being best buddies. Except for one minor detail - Tootsie is number one roo. At least until Strawberry realizes he can take that back from Toots. Stay tuned.