Hi from South Carolina and need help with rehoming cockerel

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Beautiful boy! I posted my 3 mo old Americauna on craiglist...not my fav but ok in this small area. He went to new good home in less than 3 hrs! Got 10.00

Thank you so much! I've never used Craigslist but that's quite a quick result.

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Welcome to our awesome community! Nice to meet you

Likewise - thanks so much for the kind welcome!

 

[DobieLover]

Are you able to handle your hens around your rooster?

Well, I don't have any hens. My rooster has hens. I have a rooster!
But yes, he does tolerate me handling his hens when necessary.

Henny is still young and an experienced. So he probably is being a little over-amorous. You can purchase hen saddles and apply them to your hens until they start to molt out the damaged feathers. Hopefully by next spring when breeding season really kicks into gear again he will have bonded more with the newcomers and will spread the love around. And he should have improved his technique by then.

You may also want to blunt his spur tips and file his nails so they aren't quite so sharp. All of this should be done by removing him from the roost after dark and wearing a headlamp to free up both of your hands to do the work.

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Well, I don't have any hens. My rooster has hens. I have a rooster!
But yes, he does tolerate me handling his hens when necessary.

Henny is still young and an experienced. So he probably is being a little over-amorous. You can purchase hen saddles and apply them to your hens until they start to molt out the damaged feathers. Hopefully by next spring when breeding season really kicks into gear again he will have bonded more with the newcomers and will spread the love around. And he should have improved his technique by then.

You may also want to blunt his spur tips and file his nails so they aren't quite so sharp. All of this should be done by removing him from the roost after dark and wearing a headlamp to free up both of your hands to do the work.

I guess I need to change my point of view... I have Henny Penny and HE has the hens. It was so fun when they were little and we sat in the run and played Scrabble together. Yes - clearly pet vs. farm animal vibe.

That's sooooo reassuring to hear there's a good chance he'll be more mellow next season. I couldn't catch the hens to put on saddles without Henny going berser now. His favorite, Phryne, has a raw bare spot on her back and raw places under both wings. She's starting to heal a little since one of the new pullets started receiving Henny's attentions - and I've been giving them extra protein to help grow back. 2 more pullets haven't matured yet. And #4 Conchita/Spanish (adore her/him) will be re-homed sadly. Thank goodness the breeder is helping look for a good local home.

On the spurs/nails... it would be so much nicer if he didn't have such lethal equipment. My husband's been lobbying for that, but I read somewhere not to if you want a rooster to have full predator-defensiveness. And we have lots of hawks, among other threats, around here. You don't think it doesn't defeat the purpose of having a rooster for protection to do that?

Thanks for taking time to help us out!!

 

[TwoCrows]

I guess I need to change my point of view... I have Henny Penny and HE has the hens. It was so fun when they were little and we sat in the run and played Scrabble together. Yes - clearly pet vs. farm animal vibe.

That's sooooo reassuring to hear there's a good chance he'll be more mellow next season. I couldn't catch the hens to put on saddles without Henny going berser now. His favorite, Phryne, has a raw bare spot on her back and raw places under both wings. She's starting to heal a little since one of the new pullets started receiving Henny's attentions - and I've been giving them extra protein to help grow back. 2 more pullets haven't matured yet. And #4 Conchita/Spanish (adore her/him) will be re-homed sadly. Thank goodness the breeder is helping look for a good local home.

On the spurs/nails... it would be so much nicer if he didn't have such lethal equipment. My husband's been lobbying for that, but I read somewhere not to if you want a rooster to have full predator-defensiveness. And we have lots of hawks, among other threats, around here. You don't think it doesn't defeat the purpose of having a rooster for protection to do that?

Thanks for taking time to help us out!!

Adorable photo!

 

[DobieLover]

I couldn't catch the hens to put on saddles without Henny going berser now.

Don't chase chickens. It's just plain embarrassing. Wait until they go to roost at night, don that head lamp I mentioned and walk up and pick them up. Easy peasy.

I've been giving them extra protein to help grow back.

The extra protein is always good but the feathers don't just grow back when damaged. The damaged ends will be pushed out when the molt begins.

it would be so much nicer if he didn't have such lethal equipment.

He has to be able to defend against other roosters trying to take his girls.

if you want a rooster to have full predator-defensiveness.

They are really only good for lookout duty and perhaps being a speed bump to anything going after their hens.

You don't think it doesn't defeat the purpose of having a rooster for protection to do that?

They can still go after grounded hawks and such without sharp spurs but anything larger than a hawk or more agile will likely kill the rooster.
I did not suggest removing his spurs, merely blunting the points to prevent breeding damage. Same with the claws.

 

[Accidental Chicken Mom]

Don't chase chickens. It's just plain embarrassing. Wait until they go to roost at night, don that head lamp I mentioned and walk up and pick them up. Easy peasy.

The extra protein is always good but the feathers don't just grow back when damaged. The damaged ends will be pushed out when the molt begins.

He has to be able to defend against other roosters trying to take his girls.

They are really only good for lookout duty and perhaps being a speed bump to anything going after their hens.

They can still go after grounded hawks and such without sharp spurs but anything larger than a hawk or more agile will likely kill the rooster.
I did not suggest removing his spurs, merely blunting the points to prevent breeding damage. Same with the claws.

Oh this is pure gold - thank you!! I completely agree on the embarrassing thing.

My husband and I have been going back and forth on blunting his spurs - which are a menace. He was yay and I was nay. Now with your explanation I'm in the yay camp, along with a light pedi too.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh this is pure gold - thank you!! I completely agree on the embarrassing thing.

My husband and I have been going back and forth on blunting his spurs - which are a menace. He was yay and I was nay. Now with your explanation I'm in the yay camp, along with a light pedi too.

Trust me, chickens are laughing at you under their breath when they out run you, especially when you fall down like I do.

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh and use one of these to grind down spurs, this takes them down fast, less stress on the bird. Make sure to hold the spur when grinding...

 

[sourland]