My brave cockerel charged a fox!!

[GoChick]

I have to brag about my brave guy...

He is 6 months old, his father is my Dark Brahma rooster (huge) and his mother is one of my Buff Orps. He is pretty big - 11lb and very sweet towards humans, but a little too rough on the hens, to the point that I had decided to take him to frezer camp.

Two days ago, I let the flock out close to the woods, while doing some chores nearby. All of a sudden, I hear my cockerel growling and running towards the woods, his hackle feathers up, looking like a deranged wild thing. I was puzzled - why was he doing that - until I see this fox running for his life!!! Awesome guy! He just won a reprieve - I just hope he stops being so rough with some of the hens.

 

[sourland]

Get him some bigger girls. That boys genes need to be perpetuated.

 

[redsoxs]

While I hope it never comes to pass that my rooster has to protect his hens against a predator, if I ever do I hope he performs as admirably as yours!

 

[Greg in Carpinteria]

It's great when a brave roo like yours protects the girls! I'm glad he's still with you. They are truly fearless, and quite intimidating with their hackles up.

I've had a few brave ones that did the same with hawks, I never had any hawk trouble on their watch. Unfortunately a couple have tried the same tactic with a bobcat, the cat seemed to regard it the same way I do pizza delivery, I'm sure they saved a hen or two in the process, and I'm grateful for that.

 

[Gargoyle]

He's still young; he needs to be with older hens who will teach him some manners, and then he'll be fine with your flock for years to come.

 

[GoChick]

The problem is that he is terrorizing some of the smaller hens, I have a Faverolles that I had to separate because she would run away from him, and he'd chase her all over the place. His father, the Dark Brahma, is teaching him some manners. We also have lots of hawks ( no bobcats yet), and it is very cool to see the cockerel and his father making the alarm call and standing watch while the hens run for cover. It's almost as if they're learning to work together!

We used to call him Honey Bunny when he was a chick, but he grew so much we started calling him Hungry Jack. I'm thinking I now need to change his name to Braveheart!

Yeah... I'm keeping him for the time being...

 

[CESpeed]

I think he eraned his keep.

 

[Tazman99]

I would personally give him another chance. Get him some bigger hens, he earned it.

 

[Vamvakas]

Can we see pics of him?!?!!? The roosters I have would of just poop there pants and run away if a fox was near by..

 

[Vamvakas]

Sorry double post.