Loss of Rooster

[Red12]

Well, we had to relocate our rooster to a farm out of state when the city found out we had one. City Jerkbutts came on Memorial Day of all days, and gave us 24 hours notice to remove the rooster. Fortunately, a relative in town for the holiday agreed to transport the rooster to a "no-kill farm" out of state near her home.

I plan on filing suit to challenge the city's ordinance banning the rooster, but who knows whether that will work or if I'll ever get my rooster back.

However, here is my question:

The rooster has been with my hens since day 1...over 10 months at this point. He is the brother of 2 of the hens. There are 5 hens in the flock. They seem to have become reliant on him for keeping order in the flock, and also for defending/attacking the voles and mice that sneak into the coop at night and early morning. He also scares away the feral cats that plague our neighborhood, and seem to lurk around our hens. Are the hens likely to have problems protecting themselves without their rooster around (the coop and run are enclosed on all sides, but little varmints burrow and squeeze their way in)? Any chance that this could affect their health/well-being? Will they have to resort the pecking order?

Perhaps I'm being too "soft", but I really miss my roo, and it's only been an hour. The hens are already cuckooing and cooing and pacing around aimlessly (apparently, just like me

).

Thanks, in advance, for thoughts/advice.

Red

 

[dretd]

Red, I am sorry about your guy. At least you got him a place to go quickly.

Before we had a rooster, one of the girls took top spot and watched out for the others. SHe even took the brunt of a fox attack and lived to tell the tale. I bet your girls will sort it out and a dominant hen will fill the role soon enough.

 

[Red12]

Just getting back to y'all on this....Roo is having a blast in his new home, from what I hear. The girls did sort out their new pecking order,

For a week after the Roo left, a hen we think was his sister (or at least his partner in crime) would walk around the run at night like she was looking for something, stand at the door of the coop and make a weird mournful clucking sound, before climbing up to roost for the night. Very sad.

Red