Lone cockerel after losing flock mates; not accepted by other hens

[CyndiMC]

Earlier this summer we decided to start raising chickens again after a long hiatus. Friends were rehoming 4 bantams, so we set up a new coop for them & they settled nicely.

Around the same time we brought 4 new chicks home. Around 10 weeks we introduced them to the flock of bantams and kept them in a separate, small coop & run (within our large enclosed chicken yard). The week after we allowed them to finally roam with the other hens, we unexpectedly lost three of them (due to them flying over some protective fencing around a new rose bush & then likely not being able ti get back out, dying of heat exhaustion. It was tragic & heartbreaking.) Only the cockerel survived.

The bantams are not kind to the cockerel (a Barred Rock) & he is afraid of them. He is alone in his small coop still, and the others roost in our large coop.

We’d love suggestions on what to do. Rehome the rooster (we are open to this, but also not having luck finding a home)? Bring in a new group of young hens and hope they adjust to eachother? Get a new bunch of chicks in the spring (or sooner) and introduce the rooster when they’re older?

Though we handled the chicks a lot and spent a lot of time with them, the rooster was the only one who didn’t really like to be touched and now will bite if we try to even touch him. I imagine he is lonely, but our (human) company isnt all that helpful. The whole situation just feels sad.

Thoughts on our situation and what to do? Thank you so much for your input!

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I would see if you can find some hens for him, poor guy. I'm sorry for your loss as well

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old is the cockerel? How old are the bantams? What sex are the bantams. There may be something going on with the sex of the bantams but this sounds like the bantams are more mature than the cockerel and don't want him around. Hard to say without some more information.

What are your goals with chickens, especially as they relate to that cockerel? Why would you want to keep him specifically? What is important here are your goals and desires, not mine. I can't tell you what you should do, that's your decision. I might be able to give you some of the options, but knowing more about what you have and what you want would be important in that.

The simplest cleanest solution would be to rehome that cockerel and start over if you want to add more chickens. If you keep him I'd want to know more about your set-up, goals, and basically what you are working with to make suggestions.