My Rooster is depressed and embarrassed

[The Moonshiner]

Self-preservation?!?

Then explain to me why he refused food or even water, for days, unless I syringed it into him. Explain why he would not want to be around ANY other living thing for weeks. Explain why it took him so very long to be able to even be around timid birds, much less be back around adult birds with self-esteem.

You seem to be thinking about something that was overcome in a day or two. That is not the case. This fellow would literally have died of dehydration, and nearly died of starvation, before I was able to build up his belief in himself enough that he would even eat and drink on his own. He was to the point of having nearly clear watery poop, and being so weak he could not stand when I finally started getting food into him. I was there, involved, saving this bird, who had been so badly embarrassed, so badly humiliated, that he. Wanted. To. Die.

traumatic shock

 

[nightowl223]

traumatic shock

Emotionally traumatic. Some would say animals couldn't suffer that without having emotions, either. Semantics. Or perhaps tiptoeing around words that some think shouldn't be used. Some are afraid of potentially anthromorphic words, apparently, even if they are the most accurate ones. If that were to happen to a human, the terms I have used would be completely acceptable. Heaven forbid we admit animals have emotions, as well, eh? Ah well, I am not responsible for others' insecurities.

http://thewildlife.wbur.org/2014/08/28/animals-do-have-emotions-but-what-should-we-call-them/

I have explained the situation until I am at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, yet am still being ignored or spoken down to or treated by some here like I didn't see and deal with what I did see and deal with. I KNOW what happened, whether others are able to admit it or not. Since they weren't there, and want to treat me like a fool or a liar, I will no longer respond to them here. Being ridiculed isn't anywhere near the top of my to-do list for 2018.

Happy New Year to the rest of you. And may Pecker grow up to be a gentleman, with the politeness the ladies will appreciate.

Peace. I'm out.

 

[sourland]

It's submission. He is admitting defeat, tapping out, waving the white flag.

And blood work would indicate extremely low testosterone levels. I have seen roosters that never recovered from a beat down - especially senior cocks who had served years as dominant flock leaders. Once severely beaten they never regained their mojo and frequently died. The beatdown changed them physically - not emotionally. Moonshiner is right on the money.

 

[bobbi-j]

And blood work would indicate extremely low testosterone levels. I have seen roosters that never recovered from a beat down - especially senior cocks who had served years as dominant flock leaders. Once severely beaten they never regained their mojo and frequently died. The beatdown changed them physically - not emotionally. Moonshiner is right on the money.

Thank you for explaining that! It makes a lot of sense to me.

 

[Ravynscroft]

traumatic shock

And shock has been known to kill many, just it alone...

 

[Welshies]

Shock. Not embarassment.

 

[gimmie birdies]

unless it blushed....

 

[The Moonshiner]

Emotionally traumatic. Some would say animals couldn't suffer that without having emotions, either. Semantics. Or perhaps tiptoeing around words that some think shouldn't be used. Some are afraid of potentially anthromorphic words, apparently, even if they are the most accurate ones. If that were to happen to a human, the terms I have used would be completely acceptable. Heaven forbid we admit animals have emotions, as well, eh? Ah well, I am not responsible for others' insecurities.

http://thewildlife.wbur.org/2014/08/28/animals-do-have-emotions-but-what-should-we-call-them/

I have explained the situation until I am at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, yet am still being ignored or spoken down to or treated by some here like I didn't see and deal with what I did see and deal with. I KNOW what happened, whether others are able to admit it or not. Since they weren't there, and want to treat me like a fool or a liar, I will no longer respond to them here. Being ridiculed isn't anywhere near the top of my to-do list for 2018.

Happy New Year to the rest of you. And may Pecker grow up to be a gentleman, with the politeness the ladies will appreciate.

Peace. I'm out.

Now you're getting a bit sideways.
I don't believe anyone is saying "animals" don't have emotions. In fact I never said chickens don't have emotions just not the emotions you believe like embarrassment.
They are just not capable of all the emotions we have. They aren't built that way.
I would love it if they were. Chickens are entertaining and if they could be embarrassed oh what fun we could have.
When you say "were to happen to a human" that's the point. Chickens aren't humans so you need to understand chickens and how their brains work instead of looking at them as having the same emotions and behaviors as us.
You want to talk about being ridiculed and called a liar etc. You've been as harsh or more so and taken more jabs at me then I have towards you.
In your last post you took a shot at saying insecurities are to blame. That's just a shot and and not a very well placed one. Once again I never implied or said animals don't have emotions.
I commend you on what you did for your rooster and believe you believe what you think you saw. And if that's what you want to see more power to you.
I'm not new to chickens and I've seen my share of trauma and traumatic events with them. I prefer to look at the situations for what they truly are and deal with them accordingly. Others can see or read into whatever they want when dealing with their flock.

 

[Cynful481]

sorry about your roo but this is hands down the funniest story yet!! And the comments are just as entertaining

 

[Cynful481]

Yep, my rooster is extremely rude, and his lack of game doesn't win the favor of my larger hens. I have not seen him attempt to mount either of them, but if he has at some point they clearly made some sort of point that he has respected ever since. I DO worry that "Rusty" will meet his demise by the beaks of some angry ladies, which is exactly how things went for my neighbor's flock. The rooster didn't bother courting his three either, and one day sadly was found pecked to death before breakfast time... Nature can be so brutal, but at the same time, can't say I would appreciate a daily raping either. A lot of my hens really try avoiding it but he grabs and plucks out their feathers if they do not comply. Is there a way to stop this aggression?

I am curious about this as well. I want a roo but do not want unhappy chickens. I am still new only had our girls since May, held off getting a roo because of have aggressive they can be.