My delightful Sptizhauben is suddenly being picked on by most of my other roos and Im not sure what to do. Heres the background:
Spitz is one of 5 roos for 8 hens, each serving a different role for the flock in heretofore relative peace. I attribute this having a huge pen and ample supervised free range time. I also cant help but think they somehow know that I adopted them from a fate with a stewpot. I love them all with their unique personalities, but Spitz is especially friendly and tame. Hes my drama diva, announcing squabbles, new eggs and unauthorized mating attempts.. Hes #3 in the pecking order, established when I got them all last summer (They are all between 1-2 years old).. He doesnt show excessive interest in the ladies but he likes to chase the #4 roo Fritz around the yard, though nothing ever comes of it.
There have been no health issues or major changes, just cockerels getting a little older. This intense winter is wearing thin on all of us. The days before the blizzard a few weeks ago were relatively warm, and all the roos were lolling around in the pine needles enjoying a dust bath side by side. Now half their pen is covered with two feet of snow and tarps to help protect from the elements also block the sun. Everyone has cabin fever!
The other day Spitz looked pink; blood shows up more on him because of his white hackles. I decided to wait until after he roosted to clean him up. Hes usually one of the first in the coop at bedtime, but he was reluctant to go in at all. After everyone else settled in, I found Spitz in the duck sector and put him in his regular spot on the roost. An hour later I came back and he was huddled in the corner of shame, on the floor in one of the nesting boxes. I brought him in the house, cleaned him up and let him hang out in my bathroom while he dried and relaxed. He was soooo good, I hated to take him back.
Yesterday morning he was back in the nesting box and refused to go out the chicken door when I opened it. He went out the person door, so I let him stay in the adjacent duck pen and brought him a RIR hen to keep him company. He was acting timid all day. Later on, I lured some other hens over so Spitz had most of the girls to himself for a couple hours. It didnt impress the other boys because as soon as I let them all together, they started harassing Spitz. I thought at first maybe Fritz had enough of being chased, but theyre all vexing Spitz, except the top cock who is too much of a gentleman to initiate trouble. In his fear, Spitz ran across a snow covered truck cap to get to me, and scrambled up my chest and onto my shoulder and wouldnt leave. The poor guy, normally so outgoing, was so nervous I let him spend the night with the ducks.
Today he is alone with the ducks, though I may gather up some hens to keep him company. Im hoping this passes in a few days but we're still a ways off from having enough snow melted for significantly more space. Im afraid of someone getting really hurt if I let them back together; even when Im with them I constantly have to intervene and the other roos are quite persistent. I really dont want to get rid of anyone and freezer camp is absolutely not an option. Any thoughts?
Spitz is one of 5 roos for 8 hens, each serving a different role for the flock in heretofore relative peace. I attribute this having a huge pen and ample supervised free range time. I also cant help but think they somehow know that I adopted them from a fate with a stewpot. I love them all with their unique personalities, but Spitz is especially friendly and tame. Hes my drama diva, announcing squabbles, new eggs and unauthorized mating attempts.. Hes #3 in the pecking order, established when I got them all last summer (They are all between 1-2 years old).. He doesnt show excessive interest in the ladies but he likes to chase the #4 roo Fritz around the yard, though nothing ever comes of it.
There have been no health issues or major changes, just cockerels getting a little older. This intense winter is wearing thin on all of us. The days before the blizzard a few weeks ago were relatively warm, and all the roos were lolling around in the pine needles enjoying a dust bath side by side. Now half their pen is covered with two feet of snow and tarps to help protect from the elements also block the sun. Everyone has cabin fever!
The other day Spitz looked pink; blood shows up more on him because of his white hackles. I decided to wait until after he roosted to clean him up. Hes usually one of the first in the coop at bedtime, but he was reluctant to go in at all. After everyone else settled in, I found Spitz in the duck sector and put him in his regular spot on the roost. An hour later I came back and he was huddled in the corner of shame, on the floor in one of the nesting boxes. I brought him in the house, cleaned him up and let him hang out in my bathroom while he dried and relaxed. He was soooo good, I hated to take him back.
Yesterday morning he was back in the nesting box and refused to go out the chicken door when I opened it. He went out the person door, so I let him stay in the adjacent duck pen and brought him a RIR hen to keep him company. He was acting timid all day. Later on, I lured some other hens over so Spitz had most of the girls to himself for a couple hours. It didnt impress the other boys because as soon as I let them all together, they started harassing Spitz. I thought at first maybe Fritz had enough of being chased, but theyre all vexing Spitz, except the top cock who is too much of a gentleman to initiate trouble. In his fear, Spitz ran across a snow covered truck cap to get to me, and scrambled up my chest and onto my shoulder and wouldnt leave. The poor guy, normally so outgoing, was so nervous I let him spend the night with the ducks.
Today he is alone with the ducks, though I may gather up some hens to keep him company. Im hoping this passes in a few days but we're still a ways off from having enough snow melted for significantly more space. Im afraid of someone getting really hurt if I let them back together; even when Im with them I constantly have to intervene and the other roos are quite persistent. I really dont want to get rid of anyone and freezer camp is absolutely not an option. Any thoughts?
