Devastated

[MissChick@dee]

Here’s my true frustration.
The OP has many threads. I’m thinking as before advise is a moot issue.
If there were something to be done it would of been already.
Thanks All

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Say what ever you feel the need to. I don’t need to read any link. My girls sound alarms. Period. Been there when it happens. Been there when there was a hawk. Been there when there was a crow or just someone walking behind my fence. So you do you and read all the sicentific threads you want. I don’t mean to sound snarky but I spend a lot of time with my hens. My facts come from first hand experience, not reading.
Best wishes

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Say what ever you feel the need to. I don’t need to read any link. My girls sound alarms. Period. Been there when it happens. Been there when there was a hawk. Been there when there was a crow or just someone walking behind my fence. So you do you and read all the sicentific threads you want. I don’t mean to sound snarky but I spend a lot of time with my hens. My facts come from first hand experience, not reading.
Best wishes

My hens sound alarms too. Or they used to before I got the cockerel. I would hear them from the house and wonder what they were doing. Once they did so when a fox was close by. As Well, they sounded the alarm when there was a skid loader in the yard that was not supposed to be (or that's what they were alerting me to).

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@Sricher91 you should really research a bit about roosters before going and grabbing one as my hens look a little rugged from the mating and there are other things to be concerned about. Roosters can rip a hen's skin with its spurs during mating. The hens scream when the roo grabs them by the neck to mate. Will that bother you? Especially cockerels who don't have the experience to be a gentleman. Cockerels are male chickens under the age of 1 and can be unpredictable. If the roo flogs you or one of your children, you're not going to be too happy. Have a plan b if the roo doesn't work out for you (soup? Rehoming can sometimes be difficult).
Just more food for thought. I could write more, but any search here in regards to cockerel or rooster behavior will be very helpful in making the decision to get one.
Honestly, I like my cockerel and if something happened to him, I would be just as sad if it had happened to one of the hens. However, not sure I would get another due to the few things that bother me about having a cockerel/rooster that wasn't an issue before having one.

 

[llombardo]

since I have both(girls and boy)I have saw both sound the alarm, I will chime in. It is different between the girls and the boys when they sound that alarm. The girls sound more frantic, the boy sounds more calm and more confident. The girls scatter in a frantic way, the boys alarm brings the girls to him and then he stands guard and they follow his lead. I have watched that unfold completely amazed. The girls do not sound any alarms at night if there is a predator. My boy has more then once and he has always been right on the mark.

I gave also saw my boy protect the girls. My sister who really doesn't know the flock decided to grab one of the girls(while clapping), Prince ran across the yard so fast and flogged my sister. She turned her back and I screamed at her to never turn Her back in a rooster. He was coming at her again. I stopped him in his tracks. The first time, he did not hurt her(he could have), I think the first one was a warning and the second one would have been bad. He was easy to back off and I do not not does my sister hold it against him- he was doing his job.

I think he has more sounds then the girls in general. He has a warning babawk if I grab a girl and she screams, he has a way different alarm sound, gently cooing just to name a couple.

I would never count on him to protect them in the sense of taking down a predator but he does a fine job of alerting them and me to possible problems.

It all depends on the rooster. I doubt I would ever be without one. I really like them and observing him has taught me a lot. He does not overmate the girls and doesn't pull feathers our, he lets them go if they are not in the mood. The girls did scream at first, but once they got old enough to lay they haven't screamed sense. They follow him around and really like being around him.

 

[Sricher91]

Here’s my true frustration.
The OP has many threads. I’m thinking as before advise is a moot issue.
If there were something to be done it would of been already.
Thanks All

Is this a dig at me? Not sure what I’ve done wrong... I mean it’s been 9 months and I haven’t had a problem, I just didn’t think predators were an issue where I live. I’m looking for different solutions now that this happened.

 

[Sricher91]

@Sricher91 you should really research a bit about roosters before going and grabbing one as my hens look a little rugged from the mating and there are other things to be concerned about. Roosters can rip a hen's skin with its spurs during mating. The hens scream when the roo grabs them by the neck to mate. Will that bother you? Especially cockerels who don't have the experience to be a gentleman. Cockerels are male chickens under the age of 1 and can be unpredictable. If the roo flogs you or one of your children, you're not going to be too happy. Have a plan b if the roo doesn't work out for you (soup? Rehoming can sometimes be difficult).
Just more food for thought. I could write more, but any search here in regards to cockerel or rooster behavior will be very helpful in making the decision to get one.
Honestly, I like my cockerel and if something happened to him, I would be just as sad if it had happened to one of the hens. However, not sure I would get another due to the few things that bother me about having a cockerel/rooster that wasn't an issue before having one.

Yeah I’m definitely doing research. I feel like no matter what I choose there’s going to be a downfall. And no, my family doesn’t eat meat so any animal we have would never be made into food. I’m going to weigh my pros and cons on getting a roo.

 

[GodofPecking]

.....It is different between the girls and the boys when they sound that alarm.....
.....Prince ran across the yard so fast and flogged my sister.
...

I have had many similar experiences to yours as far as Roosters Vs Hens sounding the alarm.

In regards to the Rooster, you may recondition a rooster easily enough. If it attacks people, put it into a cage by itself and hand feed it, and have patience. I was given a rooster who would not allow anyone within 30 feet before he ran off, after some months he would allow you to hand feed him anywhere and also stroke his back. Basically a tame turn around.

Roosters who attack are somewhat similar, in that they were raised without food rationed to them by a human. If food lays on the ground or in an endlessly supplied hopper, roosters shall see no useful purpose in allowing humans around. They'll attack. But that can be changed with patience.

After much experience, many people know exactly what chooks are saying to some degree. Once a hen looked up at my approach, and said to her chicks "Food" meaning I was food, which I thought was a funny way for her to mis-speak.

 

[GodofPecking]

@Sricher91 Especially cockerels who don't have the experience to be a gentleman.

They all seem wild and crazy first, but it is all part of what they are meant to do, and the hens are not innocent bystanders. The behavior of 'rooster chasing hen all around the yard' has purpose. At first you'd be forgiven for thinking that the hen has no interest in mating but that is not so. She does, and if you watch carefully, you'll see that she is making sure that the rooster is up to the job of being number one, or at least incredibly brave. A lot of the time, when other roosters or predators like dogs or people are around, the hen will run past each and every one of them first to test the mettle of the prospective rooster. If he chickens out when she runs past another Rooster, he was scared of that rooster, or dog, or whatever. If he succeeds in his chase, well, she knows what she knows and knows he's the best, or good enough till the best arrives. This is only one of many mating rituals though, and some are not nice.

A torn up back means a hen can look forward to huge, strong chicks and isn't that worth it ? she thinks so.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

They all seem wild and crazy first, but it is all part of what they are meant to do, and the hens are not innocent bystanders. The behavior of 'rooster chasing hen all around the yard' has purpose. At first you'd be forgiven for thinking that the hen has no interest in mating but that is not so. She does, and if you watch carefully, you'll see that she is making sure that the rooster is up to the job of being number one, or at least incredibly brave. A lot of the time, when other roosters or predators like dogs or people are around, the hen will run past each and every one of them first to test the mettle of the prospective rooster. If he chickens out when she runs past another Rooster, he was scared of that rooster, or dog, or whatever. If he succeeds in his chase, well, she knows what she knows and knows he's the best, or good enough till the best arrives. This is only one of many mating rituals though, and some are not nice.

A torn up back means a hen can look forward to huge, strong chicks and isn't that worth it ? she thinks so.

I was just letting the OP know what could possibly happen when adding a cockerel/rooster to the flock. Cockerels have lots of learning to do before becoming a rooster.