Dealing w/ a Rooster

[galanie]

When they start trying to mate, they'll try to mate anything. But normally the girls will just run and scream and he can't do it. He's likely to run your girls ragged for a while though till he can get lucky. Give it a try and just see what happens, I say. But only under your watchful eye.

 

[pawsplus]

So . . . If I keep him intact, what can I do to LESSEN any problems? I know about chicken aprons, but there is no way on God's green earth that I can get one of those on Clarice--I have actually never TOUCHED her in our 6+ years together. We have an Agreement about that, LOL. She would probably rather die than let me catch her so I just don't take the risk--and I know for a fact that putting an apron on her is NOT gonna happen.

I was thinking, though, that the key will be to have plenty of space so the girls can get away from them when they want/need to. Would it help to have more vertical space? I'm thinking esp. of perches in the run like what Fireguy56 shows here:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=69010

If there is more vertical space, that adds more overall space, and more ways for the girls to get away when they say, "NO!" Thoughts on this? Does this help? I have plans to make a roosting area like what he shows here (the ladder) anyway.

 

[galanie]

I would think that yes, that would help. More space definitely does, and if you can't give them that, then vertical space at least provides more places to go.

 

[pawsplus]

They already have 2 10x10 runs, with a door in between. That SHOULD be lots of room for just 4 chickens. Currently Bianco is w/ Audrey in one, while Clarice and Svetlana are in the other.

 

[galanie]

Well certainly that is a good amount of space for them. I only meant that more does help no matter how much they already have. But to answer your question, yes.

 

[Blessedchickens]

Quote:
I agree with the having more space to go vertical. My little banties get up on perches about six foot tall if they want to get away. At one time I had seven roosters (not by choice, but by hatch) and three hens and the hens would "hide" by going up. Little boys may get hormonal but they don't like mating on a perch!! The hens just moved if they started chasing them up there. Needless to say my little hens are liking the one to three ratio wayyyyyy better! But I do want you to know that they all survived just fine even when they were out numbered. They lived with less feathers while I found the boys a new home but other than that they were okay in the end. (FYI it was like I woke up one day and they all decided at the same time they were adults now and want to have babies!!!) I can identify my roos way faster now and get rid of them quicker.

Also if the roos got too carried away, whiel I was trying to find homes - I put them in dog crates for a day or two. For some reason that knocks them down a peg on the pecking order and then they behaved themselves for a few days. It also gives the hens a break. They do go through the pecking order thing again when you let them back out but it always seemed like the hens were rested and ready to show their stuff! None of this resulted in injuries, just a little feather loss.

I just wanted you to know you have options. Also remember if he turns out to be a bratty rooster I would re-home him or something. Roosters are awesome if you have the right one. Life is too short to have a bratty rooster. There are way too many nice ones out there who turn out to be sweet gentlemen who take great care of their ladies like they are princesses.

 

[pawsplus]

Quote:
That's just not how I roll, though. I commit to critters for life.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Blue]

I would try him out with the girls. I've had roosters with only a few hens with no problems. It really does depend on the particular rooster.

 

[pawsplus]

Quote:
If I do that, WHEN should I do that? My last attempt to integrate Bianco and Audrey w/ the others was disastrous--I came home to find the new ones cowering in the new run (door open between), out in the open in DRIVING rain but afraid to go into the Vari Kennel I had left them for shelter, probably b/c Clarice cornered in there and beat them up.

They were crying and ran to me for help. It was VERY pitiful. That was 3 weeks ago or so--since then they have been in the new run and old girls in the old run. They share a fence wall so have gotten used to each other through there.

Should I wait until Bianco is older? Or is younger better? I don't want anyone to get hurt.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I agree. I currently have one small rooster - a polish - to 30 something hens (I refuse to admit actual numbers). The roo, Ozzy, is 5 months old. The pullets he grew up with are letting him mate. He gets more pullets as they each reach point of lay and submit. He is terrified of the older hens that share the same coop with him and my oldest hens that live in a seperate coop kick his butt daily; especially the alpha hen that has been in that position since the loss of their own roo.

Little Ozzy is not being harmed by the older hens, but he is learning manners. If he so much as looks at a hen the wrong way he get a whoopin. No blood is being drawn and Ozzy seems unfazed by their punishments, so I leave them to work it out amongst themselves.