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

[Dixiedoodle]

I would open up several eggs and look for the 'bulls eye" . There are really good pictures on here to help you id /find it.. Do a search..Once you know what you are looking for it will be easy to find. I would also keep Big Reg.. He sounds wonderful..the next one you get might be mean to you AND you girls... Just got rid of a beautiful but mean BO...

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Okay.... The decision was made for me....The EE's lower beak was broken about 2 thirds from the end and on both sides. His jaw was broken on one side. He was able to drink but not eat well. I got my dear sweet husband to cull him for me..... I really hated to do it but it just didn't look good. He was hurt much more than I could originally see..with all the blood....

 

[highcountrychickens]

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?

No... don't try it again... Roosters fight - and your Big Red is a major Protector. I would say that it would be completely expected that he would beat the snot out of any roo you put in there. Also, fairly plainly, he has already established his M.O., and it would simply be cruel to put the poor guy back in with him.

Do you have any way of dividing your flock and keeping them separate? It sounds like 20 hens for one Roo is a lot to expect a guy to keep fertile.

Best of luck - it does sound like you have a gem with Big Red... If I had a roo like that I'd sure keep him around if I could!

Good luck with this -

ps... ohhh I just read that you had to cull your other guy. I'm sooo sorry

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Big Red is a lifer. He has a home till he breathes no more. I just love him and these last few days have been a true test for Red and us.
I do have one other problem...maybe...I have a roo in the brooder.... If I put them together while he is young would it be okay. I have a total of 12 chicks around 2 weeks old. They are all going to be put in the coop with the older girls. I only have one coop.....I am planning on adding to it some additional run area for the times I can not let them out to free range. I usually give my friend a few of the older girls to help her out with eggs. I should end up with about 30 total birds. With plenty of room.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Now I don't know what I'm going to do after reading about your experience. I'm sorry that you lost your EE. I have someone willing to take my cockerel (5 wks) right now but I was thinking I would try to keep him and hope he gets along with my Blue Cochin roo. . .

. . . but what if it doesn't work??? This chicken business is a lot trickier than it looks. My mom has two brother roos and they will fight when they are first let out in the morning so she staggers the times that she lets them out. She's in the city . . no roosters allowed . . . she keeps them in kennels in the garage so she can let them get all their crowing done then she lets them out one at a time so they won't fight. What a hassle!! I don't have time for that. I also have a large number of pullets and reading that your rooster is getting overworked concerns me as well. Can you see the pros and cons to all this!!

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Knocked Kneed Hen , I am with you...I did not sleep for days. I was worried about Big Red not being #1 then the new roo got hurt. I was worried and feeling guilty about that. Then I had to ask my DH to cull him for me. Oh I was a mess..... I have asked around and the average answer is if you put a young roo(Not fully mature) in with an older roo they will not fight as bad. They will always have little spats but not major injury.... Man...I started out 2 years ago with 13 pullets and one decided to be a rooster. Now what I have I got myself into........ I really do not have the heart for this sometimes. I am one of those chicken owners who only eat the eggs, never the bird.....

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

I have a "Big Red as well Hes a 5 year old RIR that has earned his place here on the farm. He had fertility issues as well so we got a younger EE rooster Unfortunately the young one took over the flock when he got old enough and poor old Roo was beaten badly. We separated them and gave the old guy a few hens of his own Now he has his girls and is happy again and I have a fertile rooster. If you have the room thats what you could do. Roo is in a 4 x 4 coop with his girls but he has a large freerange area during the daytime. I am sure hes happy living the free life, and not stuck in the breeding pen.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Roosters are tricky! I have 3 roosters, for the most part they get along, but I have to moniter to make sure the bottom roo isn't harassed by the top roo too much. None of my roos ever inflicts any serious damage, mostly they just chase each other. I think in part, how many roosters you can keep depends on your set up, the breeds, and the individual temperment of the roosters. In my cochin pen, I have 2 roos that never fight. They are brothers, and they get along perfectly, but they only "tolerate" thier sons if I try to keep them.