My new rooster is upsetting the girls! What do I do?

[Kbruce]

Hi everyone I'm really new at this....
I have 5 hens that I let out to free range during the day they always come back to roost at night in the coop and were such great hens but now that we have a rooster added to the flock he goes up in the trees to roost and now my girls don't know what to do some go into the coop some try to follow him in the tree branches the others wonder around not knowing where to go or what to do! Please can someone tell me if this in normal and how do I get my rooster out if the trees? He is throwing everything off!

Thanks
Kbruce

 

[chicmom]

Entice him into your coop/run with some delicious treats. He will probably go in if he sees the hens enjoying the yummy treats. Then lock him in there. Keep him in with the flock for a good week, maybe even two weeks.

That will teach him that the coop is his new home. This may upset the girls a bit, but it needs to be done. Also, you can trim one wing, which will keep him from flying high.

Sharon

 

[Kbruce]

Hi Sharon thanks for the response and i will try those suggestions and try to entice him into the coop with the girls! He loves his ladies but for some reason he has no desire to stay the night lol oh well typical male right! Do you mean I shouldn't let him out of the coop for awhile until he learns to stay there? Or just lock him in at night?

Thanks
Kbruce

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I second locking him in the coop (or, better yet, put him in a cage in the coop so your girls can still go out) he needs to learn that your coop is home. That its safe. Right now he feels safer in the trees, so that's where he sleeps. And of course he doesn't want to sleep alone, so he entices your lovely ladies to come with him. I pen new birds up for a week. Yes- a whole week in the coop= one very unhappy rooster. But its better to unhappy and safe. Good luck!

 

[chicmom]

Quote:
Hello! What I mean is, he needs time to realize that the coop is is home, so by locking him inside the coop/run for a solid week, not just at night, then he will get that safe, homey feeling. Maybe he was never cooped up before. I'd leave the girls inside with him, because otherwise, he'll just feel like the coop is just chicken jail. If they're all in there together, he'll get the feeling that the coop is home.

 

[Kbruce]

Oh wow ok I got it so I will lock him in there for a week! Yikes he is not going to like that at all but if that's what I need to do to train him I will do it

thanks I've always let him out with the girls roaming on an acre so he needs to learn where his home is now!

thanks again
Kbruce

 

[debs_flock]

I agree that he needs to be locked into the coop until he recognizes it as home.

But I wouldn't clip the wing on a free-ranging bird. You'd take away his main ability to evade predators.

Deb