Hello ! I have been adopted by a rooster .... Updated 1/15 with pictures

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Harmony Hill

Harmony Hill

In the Brooder
5 Years
Jan 13, 2015
34
1
26
Willow Springs NC
for real - a black rooster has taken up under my porch. I have a nice warm dog house tucked in a corner for my two semi-feral cats. Well, I went to feed the girls sunday night, looked under the deck and saw chicken legs! with Spurs! Imagine my suprise! he was munching on cat food, so I just left him. Figured he would leave. Yesterday am, "Elivs' was all tucked in the dog house - same when I got home from work - nice and dry as it rained all day . This am, he came out of the house and started looking for food. He even came up to me and let me touch him. Naturally I don't keep chicken food on hand, so I put out dry cat food for him. He let me scratch his neck while he ate. I checked with my neighbor that has chickens, but his rooster is black and white w/a frilly tail. (see how much I know?
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) This rooster is black, and his tail is long and narrow, he holds it straight out, not up like some I have seen. I don't mind him, and will get another dog house for my cats and set them up under the front porch. But what do I do with this Rooster? I will go to my local feed store tonight to get him real food.
Should I just feed him and let him be? I have to admit, of all the critters I have and want, can't say a rooster was on my list.
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But - I have to what is best for him, so help!!
 
Here are better pictures. He has descovered the front porch, so last night he perched up on a chair, facing the window looking in the house. Stayed there all night. let me walk out to him and take these pictures. This am, I held out a piece of bread, he ate it as I held it. He also drank from a bowl of water I was holding. Then, as I was putting some of that scratch stuff out for him, he stuck his head in the bag and started to eat! He has not crowed, but does kinda cluck when I come out and talk to him.




On the Breed thread, the common response has been "Old English Game mix"
really sweet guy.
 
He's clearly been someone's pet. Otherwise he wouldn't let a stranger touch him. Almost none of my birds let me touch them and I've been feeding them their whole life.

Get him the lowest protein non-layer feed they carry. That would likely be a 15% protein finisher feed or a grower feed from 16-18%. If the latter is all you can get you can cut the protein with some grain. Most importantly, don't feed him layer feed which is about 4% calcium. A rooster's feed should be closer to 1% calcium.

Adult roosters get along just fine on 13-15% protein.

They're pretty self sufficient but night time predators can be a problem. Chickens should be locked up in something that a raccoon can't open or reach into or with openings big enough for a weasel to get into. That's about a 1" gap.

For more complete info, go to the learning center tab.
 
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Thanks! I called my feed store, they have some feed I can give him but I will check the protein.
I guess if he was someone's pet, they dumped him? I will do my best by him. Funny thing is, I was just saying to a friend of mine about putting a chicken coop in the yard for eggs. Guess not now!
 
Hello
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and Welcome to BYC!

Wow, that is a surprising way to get a rooster!
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I agree with everything ChickenCanoe said. And if you don't want to keep him you could always put out an advertisement saying you found a lost rooster! Good luck and have fun with him!
 
Possibly dumped or there may have been a predator attack and he escaped. I had a rooster take up residence about a 1/4 mile away after mink killed the rest of his flock during the night.
He could have also wandered off and couldn't find his way back or was run off by other roosters in the flock.

Hopefully your store carries bags smaller than 50 pounds. It would take a single bird a long time to eat that much feed. If that's all you can get, keep it cool and dry so it lasts longer.
 
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Lady at feed store said she had a 20 or 25 lb bag; Too bad he can't get into the horses pasture, help break up that manure. Poor guy, I feel right sorry for him.
Chickencanoe - what kind of rooster is your avatar? Elvis has lots of red on his head like that.
 

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