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I'm heartbroken. It's been 9 days since two of my Langshans disappeared. My beautiful rooster, Billy Flynn, and one of my pullets, Velma just suddenly weren't with the other birds when I went outside to check on them. They had been there an hour or so before. They were free ranging in the yard, but they always stay in the area between the coop and the house. I'm afraid something got them. I had some hope, because one of my red pullets disappeared at the same time, and three days later, she walked into the yard from the empty overgrown lot next door, so I hoped maybe the Langshans would also reappear, but I've given up hope now. It's causing problems too because Billy was my big rooster, ( he was a size larger than my other roo from the same batch, couple of inches taller and bigger around),the one in charge and even though they were the same age, his "brother, Razzle is just NOT taking over and doing as good a job taking care of the girls. He doesn't even seem to be trying. The girls walk away from him, and he never calls them over to him or try to tell them what to do.
Does anyone have any idea how I can give Razzle the confidence he needs? Or is he ruined forever because he was under Billy? If so, I may have to get another rooster when I move. My chickens are all about 21 weeks old now. Is it possible Razzle just needs to mature some more?
The problem is I have other chickens that were abandoned on the property by the homeowner. ( we are renting right now)They are American Game Fowl, I have been told on BYC. The rooster, Bruno, is an experienced rooster who takes his job very seriously. When I had Billy, Bruno never interfered with my coop chickens, but now he is hanging around with them quite a lot. So far, they always go back into the coop at night, and Bruno goes off into the trees to roost.
I like that Bruno is such a good rooster. He is always looking out for predators and watches over the Game Fowl and my coop chickens very well. But I wanted to kind of keep my coop chickens separate from the Game Fowl and that isn't working out now that Billy is gone. It has also occurred to me that maybe Bruno had something to do with Billy's disappearance, but I don't think he would have run him off the property totally, it over 5 acres, and I don't think he'd have killed a hen too...
I had no idea chicken relationships were so complicated til I got some of my own;/
He will just need time. Once he matures (that's where Billy Flynn had him) then he will start to call to the hens and become more territorial against other males.
