I think it's time for my roo to go

[scooterward]

I'm debating about keeping my rooster, Wyatt. He's now gashed a second hen and we are so not happy. We orginally got him to have little ones that will be for freezer camp (be self-sustaining, have the hens raise them and all that). Now I'm having second thoughts about him. They (7 hens and 1 roo) will be one year old at the end of April and we were looking forward to little fuzzy butts this year, perhaps even keeping one or two (you know...chicken math). Our rooster has given me much anxiety and I'm seriously thinking it's just not worth it to have him. I would like to seperate him physically but not visually but it doesn't seem feasible with our set up.

I think I'm looking for advice, feedback, opinions etc.....

 

[Ridgerunner]

He is still a little young and may yet learn a better technique. Maybe not, but maybe.

How much do your hens resist him? A rooster needs to dominate a hen by the sheer brilliance of his personality for her to squat for him. Some hens will squat for anything wearing spurs and some will resist any rooster, but usually once a rooster matures enough to WOW them with his personality, the mating gets less violent. Part of the problem may be your hens resisting while his hormones are really flowing. Maturity of both hens and rooster may help.

Hens seem to be more willing with a rooster that dances, provides treats for them, and just takes good care of them. A selfish rooster that eats first usually finds the ladies less willing.

Another problem may be his claws or spurs. I'd think more likely claws at that age but it could be either. You could try trimming his claws and spurs, not cutting them off entirely but blunting the sharp ends off. Trimming either one is a lot like trimming your fingernails. As long as you stay out of the quick, it does not hurt them at all. I use a dremel tool with the cutting disc. Just take the sharp tips off and smooth them out a bit. I wrap the rooster in a towel to keep him calm. It does not seem to bother them at all.

Another option is to get rid of him and get another rooster. Not all of them cause problems.

Good luck! It is not always an easy decision.

 

[scooterward]

His hormones are def raging! Ugh!! It drives me crazy and the girls too! He has one favorite that he's knocked all her feathers off her back and I had to make her a jacket and now she has a bald head too and just last night I found a gash on her side. It's like he's constantly after them. Constantly.

He doesn't have full spurs yet but they are hard. His nails are already short. I checked.

But if I had to pick I'd say he is a good rooster to them and not a bad one - he makes that special sound when he finds something good to eat and gives it to them (they've even eaten it out of his beak before), he does dance for them too, and he watches out for them and they listen (we had a big crane go overhead one day and he gave a warning call that even the ducks heeded!). AND he knows that I am alpha roo.

Should I just hang in there a little bit? I can't keep worrying and crying over my hens and losing sleep and them being injured.

 

[hallerlake]

Wait until the hens start laying fertile eggs, and then get rid of him. Half those eggs will be roosters for you to choose a replacement from.

 

[sourland]

If he is causing you and the hens anxiety, why keep him? Chcikens should be enjoyable. If one on your hens goes broody, buy some fertile eggs and raise some chicks if you so desire. In the long run that would be cheaper than feeding a rooster 12 months of the year.

 

[scooterward]

hhhmmm... that's a good idea. One that I hadn't thought about. hmmm..... might just hafta look into that. See, that's why I come here.

 

[scooterward]

So I kept him in the coop last night to sleep but then put him in the greenhouse this morning with a roost, food and water and some treats. I need to give the girls, and myself, a break for the day. Tonight we will start with partitioning off part of the coop so he is physically seperated but not visually.

When I scooted him out of the coop this morning, he was none too happy, vocalizing the whole time and calling for his girls who were answering back. I brought him to the greenhouse and he was still being vocal. Hopefully it won't be annoying to the neighbors today. We will do this until we get the inside of the coop done.

This is my happy medium for right now.