I DID turn a rooster loose on 25 innocent unsuspecting hens

[Ravishaw]

For the past few days, Pavoratti, my new Barred Rock Rooster has been sitting beside the main coop in the 2 bedroom brooder/apartment.

He hasn't complained or flogged the little chicks next door or the hen he came with. He's been amazingly tolerant I must say. But I can see he wants to get out and stretch his wings, but I'm going to keep him in there a few more days. I want him to have a good idea of where his home is and that the hens running around are his to protect...

and they're his to, um, ya know.

I just get a kick out of the math. Here he is a roo that's been isolated with one hen for the past 18 months, and here he is about to be turned loose on 25 innocent unsuspecting hens. I mean, any guy would like those odds.

Here's the other thing that I like. He was with one hen for over a year and she looks like she was just spit out of the egg. Feathers are just pristine on her back, she looks flawless. The Phoenix rooster I had was smaller but messed up the hens backs something fierce. He was quiet, sneaky, and I didn't like him very much. This boy, Pavoratti is a talker. I can hear him when I go out my back door just talking away. He doesn't crow non-stop, just a few times a day. The rest of the day he's talking up a storm though. I'm kind of taken with him already.

I miss my little cochin rooster though, he would dance and sing all day rain or shine, hen or no hen. He looked like a nonsense but was adorable.

I'm hoping this rooster and I get along much better. He seems to be pretty independant though. I'm hoping to win him over, any tips for rooster grooming?

 

[Ravishaw]

it replaced my s-h-i-t-z-u with nonsense in the original post btw

 

[schellie69]

I would win him with treats. I doubt since he is older that he will start to attack humans since he hasn't before. How long has he been in quarantine. Which when I added my rooster meant that my 2 noisy barred rock girls broke him out by standing on his fence and he was able to jump out and free range with the girls. I bet they wished they left him in that cage.

By the way love the name I heard that name while watching hunt for red October. This should be great to watch as he figures out he has more then one hen.

 

[Ravishaw]

Well Sunday evening, I did it.

I let pavoratti out. He didn't bolt and run, he calmly walked out the door and landed on the ground with a loud thud. I guess he's a lot heavier than the hens.

His crow is kind of short... But he let one go, and started in the direction of the coop door. He started his talking-cluck and one of my wynadottes ran out the door to meet him and practically jumped into a squat for him. He wasted no time. Next came the EEs, and the BRs. Heck, they practically linedup for him. 2 of my RIRs took a little more work but they relented to him too. He kicked the pullets around a bit to show them he was boss, and seemed quite content.

I might add that little Suzie, the smallest RIR, did not squat for him. In fact after the first roo went to the coop in the sky, and the time without one, and now that we have one she has never squatted for a rooster. She only squats for me.

 

[BooBear]

With all those other girls he will allow you to have the little one.

Sounds like he is in rooster paradise now.

 

[sourland]

Well, has he died from exhaustion yet?

 

[BuckWildChickens]

Quote:
Thats what i was wondering??? Sounds like to much for one Rooster.. Lol..

 

[schellie69]

I have one hen that will not let submit to my rooster but will squat for myself and DH she even protects us from the mean old bantam rooster

How are things going with your new rooster?

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Do you mean shih tzu?

 

[Ravishaw]

yes, i meant shih tzu

I thought my spelling was at least a good attempt at educated guessing.

Update on Pavoratti:

He's doing well. He doesn't look tired, and my barred rocks have taken up to following him around (much to the annoyance of the hen he came with).

Agnes, the chief conspirator of The Chicken Rebuttal Society has recently become much more tame. Even allowing me to pick her up. She doesn't tolerate being held for long, so I have to hug her and put her down.

Back to Pavoratti,

He does crow every once in a while. It isn't as incessant as his predecessor. Nor does he crow so long that he squeaks when inhaling.