My rooster and hen are fostering chicks...

[wolfinator]

I'm currently raising broiler chicks, they outgrew the 4x4 brooder and a cold spell was coming. My only coop big enough to accommodate all of them was occupied by an older pair of disabled chickens, a buff Brahma rooster named Bram with a brain trauma injury (a rooster attacked him) and a golden comet hen named Waddles with leg deformities, both are 5 years old. Taking a chance, I put them all together. The first night the pair kept a little distance but not for long. They both took to the chicks by the next night. They were 3 & 4 weeks old at the time, this was 2 weeks ago. Bram often let's the smallest chick cuddle up under him. When I get my egg layer chicks later next month after the broiler chicks are gone, I'll put them in with Bram and Waddles too.

1st 12 broiler chicks, added 12 more 6 days later.

New brooder - all 24

Had to enlarge brooder

Bram and Waddles - first night, chicks are at other end of coop.

Moved in with Bram and Waddles, 1st night.

All settled in together

I would never have thought these 2 could be so gentle with these chicks but they are great together with them.

 

[igorsMistress]

That’s so cool!! I’m so happy it worked out. And you’re awesome for letting the disabled couple live out their lives in a good place

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh how sweet.

 

[Farmgirl283420]

So sweet but can you tell me more about Bram and his brain trauma does he act weird?

 

[janiedoe]

Kudos to you for taking such good care of Bram & Waddles! This is such a sweet story!

 

[wolfinator]

So sweet but can you tell me more about Bram and his brain trauma does he act weird?

No, to me he doesn't act weird. But what do you consider weird?

He was perfectly fine before the attack last August, attentive to the ladies, crowing his awful crow (sounded hoarse with being strangled) and he strutted like the top man he was. The rooster that attacked him, Duece, was about 1/2 his age, they were all raised together from the start. We now suspect he killed our other older ones. I actually caught him in the act while in the guineas pen and ran to his aid. Bram was screaming, his comb bloodied and was shaking, I put him in a safe place and chased down Duece having made up my mind what needed done. Then did it. I turned my attention to Bram, he was so scared and hadn't moved from where I put him. He had a distant look in his eyes, along with shock and pain. I cleaned his visible injuries but when I sat him down he took a few steps and fell over, I picked him back up, he tried again using his wings for balance. Normally I'd keep injured birds separate from the flock but instead I put him back in the coop. Several hens came over to him almost as to help him. He would stumble and lose his balance often but was eating and drinking normally so I let him be. He was improving some over the last year, he didn't stumble as much. He even would to try with the ladies but hadn't for months. I did get another young rooster, a splash Brahma and he left Bram alone, didn't even challenge him. Bram however did make it known he was #1 there. They were getting along really well. I use monitors to listen in on the coops and was hearing Bram let out startled screams at times. I noticed a couple hens were picking on him, trying to pluck his tail feathers. A friend suggested removing those hens for a few weeks so, I did but they went back picking on him again when returned to the flock. The 2 hens now reside with my 2 male guineas and are oddly content. A couple months ago, I noticed Bram was becoming distant again, stumbling more, wasn't going outside as much and was becoming distant from the rest with the exception of a few hens, same ones who stuck with him initially after the attack. He seemed to be stepping aside to the other rooster, almost avoiding him.
I noticed Bram was happy with his little group so I decided to remove them from the main coop and give them their own place. The hens were older and one had physical problems (actually I had a feeling that some weren't going to be around much longer, sadly I was right on 2 of them). He seems to be once again improving some. He seems happier since I put the chicks in there. He's the top rooster of the coop again.

We don't have an actual avian vet around but I consulted with our regular vet who determined he has a brain trauma injury from multiple blows to the head and was surprised he survived. She told me it may take a year or so if he even heals. She said if the balance issues and stumbling becomes a lot worse, I may have to make a decision but he's far from there for now. I'm just happy he's alive, he has always been a favorite one since he was a chick (got him and 2 others for 50 cents each because they all had severe pasty butt and the employees didn't want to deal with it). Bram has a very sweet, gentle disposition and he deserves to just live out his life no matter what. Plus he's great with helping to raise chicks along with Waddles.