Help...What to do with current rooster....Fight ended w/ broken jaw

[Big Red's Mom]

I have a 2 year old RIR rooster. He was raised from a chick. Big Red is very nice. Although he can show out from time to time. He comes when called and does a great job protecting his girls. (19 Hens). I have 12 chicks in the Brooder. I am hoping to have a Bantam Rooster in the batch. I am also getting a EE rooster. My question is...what do I do with Big Red. He is doing the act of breeding but he is not getting the job done. My uncle got 12 of my eggs and was gonna hatch them for me......Well none of them hatched. He broke a few open and no development had taken place at all. Big Red has been a part of our family for 2 years. He does not have tail feathers...Lost them protecting the hens from a dog...Now the hens will not let them come back in

He also killed a rat during the winter that came into the coop. So he is a great protector and great with my son and his friends. I really do not want to do away with him or re-home him. The problem is I do not have a coop to put him in.

Any suggestions......

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

You can wait and see if he gets along with the other roosters...some do. You can have a back up plan ready (like someone willing to take him if it doesn't work out). I have a rooster and 20 "pullets"...I'm prepared that out of the 20 one may be a roo. That will be my plan. Lots of folks have more than one.

 

[MuranoFarms]

He sounds like a great rooster! I wouldn't want to get rid of him either!

I added a banty roo to my flock recently. He gets his tail feathers pulled out by the big marans but that's only because he starts it! lol Otherwise they get along great. Give it a try....you just never know. I move my babies out to a cage on the floor of the big coop at about 4-5 weeks old (with heat lamp). Weather permitting, they run around the yard with the rest of them (supervised) a few hours a day. After about 8 weeks old they free range all day with the big guys. As soon as they show interest in roosting with the rest at night, I let them. They sort of integrate themselves that way. It's a gradual process. Take your time with it and it should be just fine.

The other day I picked up a 6 week old and she squacked real loud and the biggest roo came over and stood at my feet pulling on my pants and pecking me like he was saying "put that baby down!" it was pretty cute.

 

[Big Red's Mom]

My babies in the brooder are only a week old so I have a little time there. The EE rooster is mature. I am hoping that they will all get along after a few days. Plenty of hens to share. My rooster has lost weight...Over the last year. I bet he is tired and needs some help.

Ha Ha MuranoFarms Big Red protects me that way....I had a hen in my arms trying to check on her and she started to fuss. Here comes Big Red to fuss at me...I thought...I put the hen down and he fussed at her and pecked her on the head a few times, then ran back to he and looked up at me and made the sweetest noise. He is such a love.

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Okay...Well I guess I have to back up and rethink this rooster thing.....
I put the two roosters together and the EE rooster has a broken lower jaw....I have him and one hen in a small temp. cage so he can heal. Should I try it again of just forget the rooster thing?

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Keep Red and rehome the EE rooster after he heals.

 

[elmo]

Are you sure Big Red isn't "doing his job?" There are many reasons why a fertilized egg doesn't develop. When you crack open one of your eggs, do you see the telltale bullseye? If so, it wasn't Red's fault!

 

[Qi Chicken]

I would definitely keep Big Red. It sounds like he has really earned his spot with you. Like the other poster said, not hatching does not mean not fertilized!

 

[tnchickenut]

Winter really hurts fertility. Give it time and try again. I didn't stop to look where you are... but temps have to be well out of freezing for some time.

If that isn't it... there sometimes can be other things wrong. I wouldn't give up just yet... and if you need to make another coop for him (and maybe one hen so he has someone) you just need to get creative. I built one for sebrights in one day with $50. 6 x 8ft... two perchs. Just saying. I wouldn't get rid of a good rooster who is a friend to the family. ESPECIALLY a heritage breed over a EE (sorry EE fans)

 

[sourland]

You don't say how badly the EE's beak is broken. Make sure that he is able to eat. If just a piece is broken off, he should be fine. If it is actually broken and just hanging there, it may be necessary to cull him. Birds can eat with a partial beak, but cannot eat with one that is actually broken.