Looking for some advise on a inside Rooster house

[dnoftz]

Ok so my wife and I wanted some americanas but we wanted true americanas so I found a guy locally to buy some adults from but the only way he would sell them to me was if I took the roster for free so I did. The reason he did not want the rooster is because he is a grumpy rooster that likes to attack and has 3 inch spurs. Since we live in the city and we are actually not allowed to have chickens at all I keep him being the rooster in the garage as to keep the noise down The others are in a out side coop. The guy who owned him had him all buy him self and in a wire cage but I'm not sure the wire was good for his feet. Currently he is in a dog crate in the garage but I want to build a coup for him in the garage. Should I do like the other guy and use wire caging for the floor or should I use like a plastic tray? Or any other suggestions on the way I should make it. I have grown attached to the big guy. He is a hand full to get out but I have noticed the more I get him out the easier it seems to be getting.

Thanks for your time

 

[harmonyp]

Don't make him walk on wire! May be easier to clean up, but it isn't pleasant for their feet, and it stops them from their favorite activity of scratching. Plastic is fine as is wood, - just make sure to cover it with shavings, or something soft and absorbent - pine shavings are my (and my bird's) favorite.

I rescued a loose fighting cock, who is currently living in a 12' x 12' horse stall. I make it a point to handle him daily. I worked on approaching him for weeks, and also on picking him up so that he doesn't flap his wings like a wildman. I give him a few mealy worms after our sessions so that the last thing he remembers of me is something super good! He becomes tamer with each day. It's amazing how far quiet kindness will go with any animal. You're clearly a kind heart by keeping him and being concerned for his welfare. He may end up one of your favorite pets! Remember, suggested size is 10' of pen space, and 3-4' of coop space. Good luck!

 

[dnoftz]

Is That 10ft over all space? And yes I was very surprised I did not think i would like him but he is my buddy.

 

[aart]

recommended minimum is 10 sq ft of run space, and 4 sq ft of coop space per large fowl bird.

 

[harmonyp]

Mine went from running from me, to finally standing still (still a little nervous but...) to pick him up. I put him on my lap, and as he's just coming out of his molt and covered with new pin feathers, I preen him, and he just purrs and makes the happiest sounds. He also had what looked like a cut top beak (about 1/2 the length of his bottom). Poor guy - could eat out of the bowls of food I gave him just fine, but had a heck of a time picking up anything from the ground.I finally got bold with small human nail clippers - fortunately his beak is very light and I can see the quick through it, and I cut it back to a point where he can now pick stuff up. He was a wreck for the first 5 minutes, but I just kept talking to him and petting him, and finally he just settled, and went to sleep on my lap.

Watching him try out his new mandible and finding he could actually pick things up was so rewarding. He literally started doing a "happy dance" after trying it on about 10 different ground objects - poofing up, cackling, shaking all over. He'd run to new places and grab a few things, then run to another place and grab. Then started preening furiously (preening must have been horrible before that).

Sorry, I babble. Point being - you probably got yourself a great buddy. Give him a nice roomy house, and you'll be rewarded for a long time. I feel so sad for all these roosters that are just thrown away, although I do understand that folks in the city would be going against ordinances if they kept them. But I'll bet a lot of them would make marvelous pets.