Lone Rooster

[Irie]

Hello, we are very new to chickens. We were given a single chick a few months ago with the expectation of it laying eggs one day. We planned on getting more chicks. I had a sneaking suspicion that this chick was a Rooster so I held off from getting additional chicks.

Now it's 100% clear now that I do have a rooster. He is about 4-5 months old. He free ranges in the backyard most days and tries to intimidate my chiquaqua and all the squirrels. He even chases other birds shadows.

He did start to crow, but I cover up the window to the coop at night and he is pretty quite for now.

So my question is....now what?

Can I get several pullets? Will he attack them or try to mate with them? How do I integrate them with my rooster?

I can try to give him back, but would be ok with keeping him if he will be beneficial and doesn't crow in the mornings (with his little window treatment).

Thanks for your help.

 

[RainyDayChicken]

Hi do you know the breed.the rooster will make it know he is in charge, he will make them his hens. He is not old enough to be a rooster at this time, it will be a month or two,then he will try to get all your girls,but will protect them at the same time. He will always crow.

 

[centrarchid]

Get some pullets and raise them separatly from free-ranging cockerel. When they are about 8 weeks old you can begin integration process with a mature cockerel / stag that has gone beyond stage of harassing other birds. At that age male will be wanting to setup a harem and little juveniles will satisfy that need. Have fun with observations!


P.S. Your situation is much easier than it would be if older pullets / hens or younger cockerel involved.

 

[Irie]

He is a sort of mixed breed. I was actually thinking of getting pullets that were over 8 weeks as I don't have the accomodations for them seperately. We have a small urban lot with 1 homemade coop with small run. This is why I let the rooseter free range unless we are not home. So I can go ahead and try to get some pullets and see what happens? I am considering doing this in late august or september. I guess he will be 5-6 months at that time.

 

[centrarchid]

I would want him to be at least 6 months old at time of introduction. You are a bit tight on resources for so many birds.

 

[Irie]

You mean "tight on resources" as in space? I would not get more than 3 or 4 pullets and double the size of the run. The coop itself is large enough. Plus I have a yard for them to free range during most of the day. I know I can't have more much than that.

The rooster almost took out my dogs eye today. He has been after her for several days and chases her into the house. Is this behavior something that will stop with the introduction of the pullets?

Thanks for answering my questions.

 

[centrarchid]

Show picture of your small urban lot used for free ranging. And coop.

 

[devora]

I would not get more than 3 or 4 pullets

The rooster almost took out my dogs eye today.

I don't think that's enough hens for one roo.

The guy sounds like a lot of fun for your pooch, ouch. No guarantee that would end.

Coq au vin!

 

[Irie]

I have about 2,500 sq. ft of yard for them to roam amost all day. The coop was built to accomodate 4-5 chickens based on some coops plans we looked at and some coops we saw at the feed stores. There are 2 large nesting boxes. The run was temporary until we got more chickens, which was supposed to be sooner than later, but this girl turned out to be a guy, so I halted to expansion. The plan was to have about about a dozen or more eggs a week. If he keeps attacking my little dog and 3 or 4 hens are not enough for him, then I guess he will need a new home. Is that a fair accessment of my situation?

 

[centrarchid]

I have about 2,500 sq. ft of yard for them to roam amost all day. The coop was built to accomodate 4-5 chickens based on some coops plans we looked at and some coops we saw at the feed stores. There are 2 large nesting boxes. The run was temporary until we got more chickens, which was supposed to be sooner than later, but this girl turned out to be a guy, so I halted to expansion. The plan was to have about about a dozen or more eggs a week. If he keeps attacking my little dog and 3 or 4 hens are not enough for him, then I guess he will need a new home. Is that a fair accessment of my situation?

Very good detail. More than enough space. Back rooster issue, dog is going to continue to be a weak link. Such a young rooster i would call a cockerel and he is not yet at full potential for whooping chiquaquas. I routinely adult chickens as pairs; 1 rooster to 1 one hen and that is typically more difficult than with more hens. What I do is keep young roosters, in the age interval of 6 to 9 months, away from hens and sometimes isolated from each other. It is roosters of that age that cause most of the difficulties attributed to roosters. Roosters that are older typically are much better around hens, pullets and even chicks. I reccomend setting that rooster up with his own pen and confine him. This will allow you to get females and rear them up. It is possible that by time you are ready to mix the new birds with rooster, he will have mellowed out even with respect to dog. Such roosters that are man-fighters are easy to deal with but some little dogs may not have right stuff to stop aggressive roosters from attacking. In that case you will still have may management options with respect to that rooster, including getting rid of him.