Dying rooster - How to care for him in his last moments...?

[BigBlueHen53]

Are Apache and Rocky where they can see and hear each other all the time? The way you would put two groups of chickens together for a while before you integrated them together into one flock? Here we call it the "see-no-touch" method. Maybe they need to get re-acquainted with each other for a while before you put them together. I am not sure if @Shadrach, our resident rooster expert, would agree with this, or would think it would work.

 

[Papaye]

Can you keep 2 flocks separately, one ruled by Rocky, the other by Apache? I am sure that he would love a few young pullets for company.

I could, yes... but before that, I would need to adjust some things in my garden : for now, each (THREE) part is occupied, since I also had to separate my ducks in different flocks so I could avoid to make the drakes reproduce with their daughters/sisters...

For the time being, since Apache is sharing a space with two drakes, I can not put any girl with him : one drake is living his first mating season, and he has a terrifying sex drive - and is really much too agressive with his girls...
Would not want a drake to rape a chicken, so...

Are Apache and Rocky where they can see and hear each other all the time? The way you would put two groups of chickens together for a while before you integrated them together into one flock? Here we call it the "see-no-touch" method. Maybe they need to get re-acquainted with each other for a while before you put them together.

They actually could always see each other.

Each one of their space is simply separated from another by metal panels from Omlet; so, allowing to the birds to see each other, but not touch and thus, attack...

Maybe it is why Rocky is not more aggressive with Apache?
Because he attacked him, yes; but he did not give me the impression to want to kill Apache...!
(But I separated them fast, so I can NOT confirm Rocky would really not have killed him...)

...I don't know if it is worth something, but : Rocky does not even do his fighting stance (preliminary) before attacking Apache...

(I would like to understand how these boys think... would be so much easier to know what to do...!)

 

[BDutch]

Apache really just needs to get stronger to be accepted by Rocky again... and he actually will!

Don’t count on this. Rocky is the flock rooster now and from what I have been reading (no experience) he probably wont ever tolerate Apache to join and take over part of his harem again.

I presume that two separated flocks is an easier solution if this is a possibility.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

So : now, it would seem like Apache is able to run again.

I have several broody hens, and in the early afternoon, I had to get one of them out of her coop... and girl was nooooooot happy, and complaining loudly and flapping her wings...
So, Apache - hearing her voice - has come running...!

...I'm surprised, because boy is still NOT running when I call him, and has not even recovered all of his strenght... but he magically can run now just because I bother a broody hen...?
I was not even hurting her or nothing, so there was no emergency...

Maybe Apache is stronger than I believed, because it now looks to me like he actually could do more than he is doing...? (He can run. Although I really was persuaded he was not strong enough to do that...)
And so, I do wonder if I could help him get stronger faster...? ...Not like I think I necessarily need to...

...Also, to give an update on Apache's relationships : I did not put him together with Rocky again, since I am kind of afraid Rocky would hurt him... but several hours a day, he is sharing a space with two girls - an Azur and an Appenzeller hens that like to jump high, and to eat Apache's food, and so to go in Apache's part of the garden... (And I let them alone, because these girls are not hurting Apache...)

Apache is, of course, happy I let these girls with him...
But he still does not mate with them, and I actually don't know why, since given he can run like he did today, I am now pretty sure he could (mate) if he wanted to...?

Don’t count on this. Rocky is the flock rooster now and from what I have been reading (no experience) he probably wont ever tolerate Apache to join and take over part of his harem again.

I presume that two separated flocks is an easier solution if this is a possibility.

...Would be sad, because if Rocky really does not want Apache in the flock anymore, I would have to give one of them away... and I love Apache - he still is my favorite -, but he would be the one to go away...

I could keep separated flocks - no problem.
But if I have an accident, or something...? Then my parents would be the ones to take care of the birds... and it would be reallyyyyy complicated for them with too much separated flocks!
I can not allow that. So, Apache would have to go just so I have one flock of chickens instead of two...
(But, for the time being, no rooster is going away : I am still waiting for Apache to be completely healthy again, so I can see if Rocky will then keep being agressive with him, or if he will let his "brother" alone - then allowing me to keep the two boys home...)