I need a Temporary roo..... I think

[Mrs. K]

Ugh! I can't let them out at all, or some chick turns up missing. My roo was just to mean to keep, so I culled him, and now I am thinking I need a roo, a temporary roo. My free ranging losses are considerably less with a good roo.

Problem: Currently I have 4 layers, a broody hen with 5 week old chicks, fully integrated with the flock. Can I add an adult rooster? I know some of the chicks are roos, and had planned to keep one of those for the flock for next year....

But right now is prime bug time, and I can't even let them out for a couple of hours, two weeks ago I lost 5 chicks, have kept them locked up solid, hoping the predator would move away and today, I lost another one after being out only a couple of hours! UGH!!!!

I think I could borrow a roo, from a neighbor ..... will he bother the chicks, or take all under his wing so to speak?

Mrs K

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I'd be worried about those chicks. I know that some species, if a new male takes over the group the first thing he does is kill any babies to bring the females back into season so they can have his babies instead.

Do you know what's getting your birds? Is it something trappable? We've had good luck baiting a HaveAHart trap with the carcass of the chicken the predator killed last. Lots of predators are solitary with well defined ranges, so if you remove the predator one will move into the area, but not right away. That might get you through until your babies grow up.

The other thing you might try is temporary fencing to keep them close for a while. Or perhaps let them out and spend the day lying in the sun with a shotgun?

Sorry you're losing so many birds. That's awful. It always makes me feel quite murderous, and raccoons just don't look cute to me any more.

 

[RedDrgn]

I think it'd probably cause more turmoil and heartache to add a roo at this point than to just keep the chicks locked up safe. There are no guarantees at all that a roo will even do the job you're hoping he will (not all roos are created equal). Plus, a new roo will stress your hens and the chicks and he may well reject (and kill) the chicks.

So prime bug season or not, at this point, I'd recommend keeping them all safely locked up until some of your chicks are old and big enough to fend for themselves (and come into their own if some are roos). In the mean time, you might consider putting some traps out and see what's getting after your flock.

 

[Mrs. K]

Dang it, that is what I thought too..... a year ago, had such a fantastic roo, he knocked my day time predation down to nothing for more that 18 months. We live miles and miles away from civilization. We have lots of wildlife and they all like chicken..... Chickens just disappear, nothing is left.

I have had more trouble with coons at night, but lock things up at night, so have not had that problem for years. But those darn daytime predators, we have heavy vegetation, into a crick....

Guess I won't let them out.

Mrs K