Fostering a pullet that ended up being a roo...

[jinxschuh]

I started a flock earlier in the spring with 8 one day old RIRs. My neighbor was wanting to add another chicken to her flock and purchased a 2-3 day old black copper marans and had me foster it with my chicks. They are now about 11-12 weeks old and the black copper marans ended up being a roo instead of a pullet. He is mean to my RIRs, not to the point where he is leaving wounds or anything but he has stripped all the big feathers off of one wing on one of them that I am suspecting is also a roo. The neighbor has taken him into her yard to free range with her hens a couple of times as an introduction to her flock and her hens act mean towards him. I'm torn between my pullets getting a break from him and not becoming used to him being 'the man' as well as what will happen if the RIR I suspect is a roo starts feeling his hormones versis the poor little black copper marans roo being bullied by the hens next door. I don't know what to do. I feel bad for my RIR that is being bullied and having feathers plucked but would also feel really bad if the neighbor took her roo home and it ended up getting hurt by her hens. HELP!! What would you do?

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

I would let your neighbor take her "Roo" and properly integrate it into her flock. Let your RIR roo grow up to be the leader of his own flock of girls.

 

[mshuey1]

I agree theres other ways to introduce chicks,hens and rooster to your new flock. Maybe you can tell your friend on how to get started w that and leave up to her your hens and roo depend on you to take care of them. Good Luck

 

[jinxschuh]

THANK YOU BOTH!! Gave me the courage to talk to her this morning. She has a small tractor as well as her main hen run/house so we moved her roo over to the tractor right next to the main run where her hens are. Now I'm hoping my little bullied roo thrives and starts acting like a roo and steps up to take charge. He has never crowed but his crown and wattles are much larger and dark red where all the others are much smaller and just kind of pinkish so that is what I'm baseing my guess on as him being a roo. I guess I don't know for sure but would explain why he was the only one being plucked of feathers on top of being pecked repeatedly on the head and chased and cock fight type agreesion towards the others.

Thanks again for the encouragement and confirmation of my thoughts that it was time for him to go home.

 

[NewToFarming]

I am glad you got this sorted out I bet your roo will soon start to thrive and take charge once he knows for sure the meanie will no longer bother him!!

 

[jinxschuh]

Good day in our back yard!! Fancy Man was a little timid most the morning but by this afternoon he was breaking up hen arguments (he would charge over to the fighting hens and they would duck down acting as if they were expecting a few sharp pecks on the head, poor hens, of course he didn't peck any of them, just got their attention to break up the fight). A little while ago as the sun was setting behind our house and the back yard was closing in with shade he found a cool spot to lay down and 4 of the 7 hens ran over to him and cuddeled in next to him and started preening themselves. It was a sight of contentment and peace I haven't seen poor Fancy Man have before.

http://www.facebook.com/jennie.n.re...60967696275.2009106.1588431338&type=1&theater

 

[NewToFarming]

Oh that is awesome!!!

I knew he would come around! He sounds like a great boy!!!

 

[jinxschuh]

Thought I'd share a picture of my little man. He is going to be a beauty I think. His left wing is the fullest, I tried to get a pic of his best side. The right wing is pretty much stripped of all the longes feathers and he is lopsided when he runs across the yard. LOL