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...)

 

[Papaye]

Hello.

To again post news about Apache...

The next day after my last post, Apache has been trying to mate with my Appenzeller hen - Punky. (She had jumped in his part of the garden...)
He has been able to chase her without any problem, in spite of his condition - running and all -, but... he actually eventually did not mate with her, because of a sudden downpour... (Sad for him...!)

To this day, I still don't know if Apache is actually really able to mate again or not - but he at last can run, and has a lot of energy...

So much energy he now attacks me : indeed, I have been bitten several times by Apache for the last three days... and today, he just does not want to stop bitting me; and I don't even know why... especially since he also still obeys to me and lets me hold him...?
(I think it could be because he is frustated by the fact he has no hens to mate with in his part of the garden...?)

...Also, just to say : Apache can now also get out of his coop alone!
(Even though he still can not get in by himself!)

Thus, since boy is recovering and doesn't need any help to get strong(er), I am going to give him away. Fast...

To be honest, I don't want to separate from him now - before he is completely recovered... and especially since I would prefer to keep him if Rocky accepts him again in the flock...
...But Apache becoming aggressive with humans is another problem I now have to face; and if I lived alone, I would manage of course... but I don't live alone, and I can NOT risk Apache to hurt somebody I care about...

But you know, I am really surprised by this behaviour : I did not think a Brahma rooster would attack a HUMAN...! I mean... Brahma are supposed to be gentle, right?

(And to say boy still is my favorite... I so want to keep him home...!!)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Oh this is not wonderful news. Sorry to hear. Perhaps Apache is lonely and frustrated? When you find him a home, you will of course reveal that he has become human aggressive, correct? Because you do not want him to hurt somebody because they took him without knowing? I know you will miss your dear boy.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Suppose you give him some hens and see if that helps?

 

[BDutch]

(And to say boy still is my favorite... I so want to keep him home...!!)

But Big blue hen is right that he might react out of frustration. Or maybe he has stress or pain. Some roosters are just impossible to keep when you already have another rooster in charge and they have to share the hens.

Hope you find a nice solution.

If you can make 2 seperate coops/ runs and give Apache 2 or 3 hens it might work.

I also learned that you shouldn’t give food to hens. This is a task for the rooster and if you give food or treats to hens the rooster often reacts aggressive to the care-taker.

 

[Papaye]

Oh this is not wonderful news. Sorry to hear. Perhaps Apache is lonely and frustrated?

Lonely, I don't know : Apache has one hen that visits him everyday in his part of the garden, and one that did until she decided she was going to be broody soon...
And he also can see the other hens, and communicate with them; so...

But frustated? Oh yeah he clearly is...!
Spring is here, after all; and now he can run and all, he wants to mate. And I don't know if he already did when I could not see him, but I know he tried at last!

When you find him a home, you will of course reveal that he has become human aggressive, correct? Because you do not want him to hurt somebody because they took him without knowing?

I already did.
Four hours ago, I have posted an ad online specifying his current condition and his sudden aggressiveness...

I would not want him to hurt somebody, indeed...!

I know you will miss your dear boy.

I will, but I really can not keep him home if he attacks humans : I love Apache - and after all the work we did together, I love him more now than before -, but my family comes first.

Suppose you give him some hens and see if that helps?

He had two, now one coming to visit him everyday. Because apparently, Apache's food tastes better than the flock's food...

I am pretty sure Apache's behaviour is because of the hens - or more so because of hormones -, but after thinking about it, I don't think putting him with the hens will fix anything...?
If I am remembering right, it actually would make him more mean, because of his will to protect the hens...(?)

But Big blue hen is right that he might react out of frustration. Or maybe he has stress or pain.

He is not in pain.
I noticed his comb darkens when he is hurting; and his comb is very red for now... so I know he is not in pain.

Frustrated, yes... He wants to mate. And/or to protect the hens - and I wonder if he thinks I am a danger for the hens, since when I think about that : he only attacked me when I was around the coops of the flock. Specifically...

Some roosters are just impossible to keep when you already have another rooster in charge and they have to share the hens.

Yes.
Rocky does not seem to want Apache is the flock again, and now, Apache is becoming mean...

But I will (have to) bring home another rooster, because I really need at least two roosters for my flock...
Nevertheless, I am going to be careful and bring one really, really young : last time I did, none of my roosters had any issue with the the youngest, and I think it was because I did bring him home when he was so young he was not sexed yet...?

In the worst-case scenario : where I live, I can easily rehome roosters...

If you can make 2 seperate coops/ runs and give Apache 2 or 3 hens it might work.

That's the case for the time being (not by my choice : two of my hens just jumps high), but I am not putting any hen to bed with Apache : I would not want an accident to happen if Apache gets stuck in a bad position for the night.

Also : the real problem here is the fact Apache could attack a member of my family...
...I did not think it could be so, but his bits HURT. And I think he can jump a bit now, and I don't want to take any risk : roosters can cause serious wounds, after all... and are fast.

I also learned that you shouldn’t give food to hens. This is a task for the rooster and if you give food or treats to hens the rooster often reacts aggressive to the care-taker.

O...kay... good to know.
None of my roosters has attacked me because of that, ever... but if they do in the future, I will know why.

Thank you for this information!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Best wishes to you and Apache. You have done an amazing job with him!