My rooster wont come out of the corner?

[Ughmargo]

This year is my first year with chickens and i started out with 6 longhorns hens who are now about 2 1/2 months old. The other day i saw an ad about a rooster in need of rescuing. He was part of a flock along with another rooater who was head of the flock. His nams is peter, heis about a year old, and i believe he is an americana or Moran breed? Hed been attacked by the other rooster so often that the poor guy no longer made any sounds, stayed by himself always, ans his poor ankles were raw and bloody i assume from fighting. I brought him home and let him in with my girls who are very calm natured ans they didnt really pay much mind to him. I kept a close eye on them for a while and everything was alright except he stayed all alone. Overnight my girls slept on their roost as usual, but he slept in the coop in the corner all alone. Come morning time he crowed a long beautiful crow and he kept crowing for a long time. Then after he was done he went back in the coop and layed down and stayed there. This has been his routine for about 4 days now. Hes a real sweetheart, he will eat from my hand and let me pet him but im just worried he isnt happy. Is there anything i can do for him to make him more comfortable and at home? Is this normal? I just want him to be happy and the proud rooster he should be, he has 6 hens all to hinself now, once their matured of course. Im just at a loss of what to do if anyone has any advice it would be helful!

 

[sourland]

First of all chickens hate change and take a while to adjust to it. Second his 'ego' and very likely his testosterone levels are at an all time low. He will regain his MOJO. As long as he is eating and drinking just give him time.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is there anything i can do for him to make him more comfortable and at home? Is this normal? I just want him to be happy and the proud rooster he should be,

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

The long morning crow sounds like he is making progress and maybe you just have to be patient.

Are you able to post any photos of him. We can help determine his breed and also if his bloody legs are indeed from fighting or possibly from untreated parasites.

If your chicks are still on starter feed that would be a good choice to help him get his mojo back as it's often higher in amino acids than layer type feeds. I never switch to layer since I keep roosters, but use flock raiser or grower instead with oyster shell free choice on the side for active layers.

Right now, he might just be seeing them as juveniles.. but I'm sure that will change in the near future.. once he is fully familiar with his surrounding and starts to realize he won;t be attacked daily. As the other poster mentioned.. chickens are creatures of habit and any change even positive can be a stress-or.

Get photos and watch the changes unfold as he comes out of his shell, thank you for trying to help out another creature! It'll come back to you.

 

[Mrs. K]

He really almost doesn't see the pullets because their combs are so pale, I agree with the others, just let him be. He will perk up.

 

[Ughmargo]

Thank you guys so much for your input! I think i am just overly worried because I really just want him to be happy. My chicks are still on starter feed, he was on pellets where he used to be so ive been giving him half and half. I feel so bad for him having being bullied so badly, i just want make sure he knows hes safe at his new home. I will post pictures of him as well. He is a handsome dude for sure but a bit of his feathers are missing right now. Ive considered putting some healing balm for chickens on his legs im just not sure if it is a good idea yet, i dont want to cause him more stress. Again thanks for the re-assurance!

 

[Ughmargo]

This is Peter

 

[Ughmargo]

These arw a few better pica

 

[humblehillsfarm]

So glad you were able to rescue him! I think he'll perk up.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

This is Peter

Oh gosh, THAT is not the abused boy I had pictured!

He looks rough but not really truly beat up.

Those white spots on his comb.. healing wounds, just lighting?? From the suspected battles or from pox?

I couldn't make out his legs at all.. but I thought I saw the classic short pinkie toe of Marans and those red ear lobes (if I'm seeing correctly) rule out Leghorn. He is the right color (approximately) to be considered black copper.. IF his legs are feathered then he probably is a French BCM.. Not sure where I pulled Leghorn from but his comb type is not Ameraucana (pea).

Sometimes the feather legged birds can get major issues with the follicles. Get a much better photo of them up close. I have seen them look like raw hamburger before on a friends bird and I have NEVER seen that type of damage from my roosters battling.. May need to be treated for scaly leg mite or other mites.. In fact I might just do this one.. with vaseline or crisco (or Ivermectin).. They won't be seen only their evidence..
https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/04/scaly-leg-mites-html/

https://the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/

Consider checking him after dark using a flashlight keep it dim makes it the easiest way to SEE things.. part feathers down to the skin below the vent and on the abdomen and look for things running away. Take note if that skin near his vent and tummy are light pink-ish or angry red.. Andy red requires treatment also.

If the pellets are layer pellet they have excess calcium for birds not in lay.. whether pellet, crumble, or mash has no impact on nutritional content. Layer feed can be thought of as war time rations and bare minimum in meeting nutritional requirement.. to many of us, including myself. I would skip the pellets at least for now, if they are layer pellets specifically.. and just feed them all the same instead of worrying about separating out. Really he should have been quarantined before introduction, mostly to protect your flock.. but that's hindsight at this point.

Feathers are made of 90% protein and it's amino acids. Those broken off feathers will not repair until he molts them out.. But you should still see an overall improvement in his condition within a few weeks!

If he is indeed Marans, I have had great luck with them as roosters.

 

[Ughmargo]

Oh gosh, THAT is not the abused boy I had pictured!

He looks rough but not really truly beat up.

Those white spots on his comb.. healing wounds, just lighting?? From the suspected battles or from pox?

I couldn't make out his legs at all.. but I thought I saw the classic short pinkie toe of Marans and those red ear lobes (if I'm seeing correctly) rule out Leghorn. He is the right color (approximately) to be considered black copper.. IF his legs are feathered then he probably is a French BCM.. Not sure where I pulled Leghorn from but his comb type is not Ameraucana (pea).

Sometimes the feather legged birds can get major issues with the follicles. Get a much better photo of them up close. I have seen them look like raw hamburger before on a friends bird and I have NEVER seen that type of damage from my roosters battling.. May need to be treated for scaly leg mite or other mites.. In fact I might just do this one.. with vaseline or crisco (or Ivermectin).. They won't be seen only their evidence..
https://www.tillysnest.com/2012/04/scaly-leg-mites-html/

https://the-chicken-chick.com/scaly-leg-mites-in-chickens/

Consider checking him after dark using a flashlight keep it dim makes it the easiest way to SEE things.. part feathers down to the skin below the vent and on the abdomen and look for things running away. Take note if that skin near his vent and tummy are light pink-ish or angry red.. Andy red requires treatment also.

If the pellets are layer pellet they have excess calcium for birds not in lay.. whether pellet, crumble, or mash has no impact on nutritional content. Layer feed can be thought of as war time rations and bare minimum in meeting nutritional requirement.. to many of us, including myself. I would skip the pellets at least for now, if they are layer pellets specifically.. and just feed them all the same instead of worrying about separating out. Really he should have been quarantined before introduction, mostly to protect your flock.. but that's hindsight at this point.

Feathers are made of 90% protein and it's amino acids. Those broken off feathers will not repair until he molts them out.. But you should still see an overall improvement in his condition within a few weeks!

If he is indeed Marans, I have had great luck with them as roosters.

Hi! Thank you so much for the information!! He isnt beat up too bad phsyically but his behavior is what makes me worried and so sad for the poor guy he wasnt allowed to act as a rooster should i would have preferred to quarntine him at firsf but it was a very spontaneous situation to go save him with no time to prepare and i didnt have an area set up for him. He has perked up a bit more today the only thing that worries me is his leg, which i will go out and take a close up picture of very soon. Im trying to learn everything i can but i just am not sure what to do to help him. Thank you so much for the advice i will post pics soon!