I adopted that other family of chickens-A funny thing for a change

[tennesseeckn]

Quote:
Like I tell my kids, it might not be fair, but LIFE'S not fair.

She has to consider what is best for the entire flock. She's giving him another shot to get along and if that's not possible she's saying that she will do everything she can to find him a great home. I think that is a perfect example of being a responsible animal owner.

I do agree that if you're not certain he's going to a great home then it is more ethical to send him to freezer camp, as hard as it would be.

 

[hispoptart]

Quote:
Like I tell my kids, it might not be fair, but LIFE'S not fair.

She has to consider what is best for the entire flock. She's giving him another shot to get along and if that's not possible she's saying that she will do everything she can to find him a great home. I think that is a perfect example of being a responsible animal owner.

I do agree that if you're not certain he's going to a great home then it is more ethical to send him to freezer camp, as hard as it would be.

I still feel bad for connor.

 

[tennesseeckn]

Quote:
Like I tell my kids, it might not be fair, but LIFE'S not fair.

She has to consider what is best for the entire flock. She's giving him another shot to get along and if that's not possible she's saying that she will do everything she can to find him a great home. I think that is a perfect example of being a responsible animal owner.

I do agree that if you're not certain he's going to a great home then it is more ethical to send him to freezer camp, as hard as it would be.

I still feel bad for connor.

Yep. Stinks for him... if he'd just accept the low-man-on-the-totem-pole position...

 

[bobbi-j]

"Connor" is a chicken. He's not sitting in the cage fretting how unfair his life has gotten. No matter what happens to him, he'll be fine because OP does have his best interests in mind. He'll either accept his new position, get sent to a farm where he'll have to establish (by fighting) his new position in that flock, or OP will simply butcher him and put him in the freezer. That's a chicken's life. They are not people, nor do they have the emotions and thoughts that people do.

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
That is true, my concern is that she has only had this new rooster a couple of days, and want to make sure that she knows that his temperment is ok, before deciding that she really wants Connor to go. The new rooster could be very good with the hens it doesn't mean he is good with people and I wouldn't keep a rooster that wasn't willing to except me as the Flock Master even over him. I would guess she knows what Connors temperment is since shes had him longer.
I have no idea what this new Rooster is like, but I think its very important that she knows what shes getting when she decides to keep him.

 

[bobbi-j]

Stormylady - I totally understand what you're saying, and agree that OP should make sure the new roo is what she's looking for for her flock. I was responding to the "I feel bad for Connor" post. I just don't think that chickens have the capacity to mope around about how unfair their lives can be.

 

[stormylady]

Quote:
I totally agree with ya!

 

[Ksane]

They're unrelated roosters who didn't grow up together, then add in the fact there's hens around. The chances of them ever "working it out" and getting along are slim to none. The chances of one of them killing the other? Are high.

 

[wrestling_mom]

Quote:
x2

 

[RedheadErin]

Yeah, I feel bad for Connor, too. He has to be thinking....What happened????

I wrote to the lady we adopted the new ones from, and she sent me back this link http://www.upc-online.org/chickens/newmembers.html

This is the method they use to introduce new roos to their flock. Apparently the shelter who put up that web page takes in fighting roos, and the method works for most of them.

In the mean time, today I let Connor and his new buddy Brigid out for a while. The were getting along really well. In fact, I found Brigid sitting in a flower pot, and Connor perched on the edge guarding her. Then Kiddo let the other girls out in the yard for some exercise, (Leaving the other roo inside) and Connor promptly forgot about Brigid! Within 5 minutes, she was wandering alone again. That is the very problem that started all this drama.

I think this slow-n-easy approach will work. I can spend time with them on my days off and keep them safe from each other in the meantime. It may take a couple of months, but really, what do I have to lose? If the boys wont settle down and accept each other, maybe they can alternate days outside or we an figure out some other way to keep them apart. But Hopefully it wont come to that.

The new roo is a sweetheart. He lets my son pick him up and carry him around.

My husband (a sworn city boy) said "maybe Connor and Brigid can both be house chickens together." And I, the country girl who alway wanted "a houseful of critters" said, "No way! Chickens belong outdoors! "

I never knew chickens involved so much drama!