Need a little support 😞

[BY Bob]

It is very hard. Here some support.

My first rooster was an oops. My wife loved him and begged me to find a way to keep him. He was so handsome.

The lady on the ground, Hattie, grew up with him. I tried to keep him, including using a no crow collar but he crowed right through it. I had one neighbor that would not abide the crowing so we had get rid of him. The rest of the neighborhood seems quite upset that he had to go. Over a year later they still stop me on the street and say that they miss his crow.

Hattie saw me take him away and would not have anything to do with me for months. My other two ladies were frankly thrilled to see him gone.

I am about to go through this again as I let my barred rock, Sydney hatch when she went broody this spring. Of course one of them is a rooster. The plan is to keep Ned until he is ready to crow and then move him on. Everyone knows the plan except his sister Lucky. I'm sure she will not be happy when he goes, much like Hattie.

It will be sad to let him go but it will be best for him. My backyard flock is no place for a rooster. This is what I tell myself everyday as I grow more attached to him. He's a real sweetheart so far.

 

[BY Bob]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! Bennie and the Hens . From the receiving end... two roosters CAN get a long then? Even when one is coming in later..? That was my biggest fear... their current rooster not accepting my Roo. They seemed to have done well last night.. all stayed in the same coop with no issues. My guy laid on the floor with some younger ladies. I suppose he knows his place already! Haha! Things are much calmer here with my girls.. I even was able to finally introduce my 10 week old pullets this morning a little. I sure do miss him.. chickens are truly more special than many believe

They will find a way. I find that the best roosters have learned from other roosters. You have definitely done right by him. The break in will be a little rough but once he knows his place it will work well. 20 hens is a lot for a single rooster. In the wild flocks will typically maintain a ratio of around 5 hens to a single rooster. There are plenty of ladies there to be looked after.

 

[RainbowHen]

I had as many as 15+ roosters at the same time in my flock. Oldest ones kept the youngest ones in line and taught them valuable life lessons. My "keepers" were 5 very well behaved roosters all living together with my 30+ hens.

 

[CluckerFamily]

A flock can definitely have more than one rooster depending on the number of the flock. My 20 needed two roosters to allow the ladies to separate and concur eating ticks, mosquitoes, other insects, grass, etc. in the yard while staying safe from predators. The roosters will have their own pecking order which could change from week to week or month or year, it depends if one becomes sick or focuses more on one group of ladies. My sister has a flock close to 80 with about 4-5 roosters. One rooster stays in the coop/run to protect while the others roam with the ladies, their pecking order changes but they have never had an issue of roosters seriously injuring each other or killing each other. The all sleep in the coop together just not buddies next to each other.

 

[Mk_lanch]

i feel your pain

we had 2 lovely roosters we raised from an egg. they were so friendly and the most beautiful roosters ever!
i went to give them food and water and brought my daughter with me. she is 11 and was talking to me and wasnt helping me much. i had my hands full so asked her to shut the door on their run. that was around 6pm. so we went home and around 9pm i just had a feeling in my tummy and started to question if she shut the door or not as i didnt double check it. i asked her and she assured me she had shut the door.
so that put my mind at ease.
the next day at around 2pm i went to give them some treats etc and found the door wide open and the roosters nowhere to be found. turns out my daughter didn't shut their door.
we are all so devastated. we searched for them but there was no sign anywhere. they were not near my hens who are kept in another large run near to theirs.
there was no feathers anywhere, i really have no idea what happened to them. im hoping someone found them and they are having a good life...my worry is that a fox found them. that really hurts my heart to think about!
i have been awake thinking about them most nights. its just so sad
a very tough lesson learned for my daughter.

we 2 days prior to this we had to put to sleep a lovely little 10 week old chick!
we had been caring for her for 6 weeks but she didnt get better so the vet suggested we put her to sleep.
thats was devastating!

life can be so unfair sometimes.

 

[BY Bob]

i feel your pain

we had 2 lovely roosters we raised from an egg. they were so friendly and the most beautiful roosters ever!
i went to give them food and water and brought my daughter with me. she is 11 and was talking to me and wasnt helping me much. i had my hands full so asked her to shut the door on their run. that was around 6pm. so we went home and around 9pm i just had a feeling in my tummy and started to question if she shut the door or not as i didnt double check it. i asked her and she assured me she had shut the door.
so that put my mind at ease.
the next day at around 2pm i went to give them some treats etc and found the door wide open and the roosters nowhere to be found. turns out my daughter didn't shut their door.
we are all so devastated. we searched for them but there was no sign anywhere. they were not near my hens who are kept in another large run near to theirs.
there was no feathers anywhere, i really have no idea what happened to them. im hoping someone found them and they are having a good life...my worry is that a fox found them. that really hurts my heart to think about!
i have been awake thinking about them most nights. its just so sad
a very tough lesson learned for my daughter.

we 2 days prior to this we had to put to sleep a lovely little 10 week old chick!
we had been caring for her for 6 weeks but she didnt get better so the vet suggested we put her to sleep.
thats was devastating!

live can be so unfair sometimes.

I am so sorry for your losses.

 

[Mk_lanch]

I am so sorry for your losses.

thank you for the support

 

[ANiceKaren]

It is very hard. Here some support.

My first rooster was an oops. My wife loved him and begged me to find a way to keep him. He was so handsome.
View attachment 2281729

The lady on the ground, Hattie, grew up with him. I tried to keep him, including using a no crow collar but he crowed right through it. I had one neighbor that would not abide the crowing so we had get rid of him. The rest of the neighborhood seems quite upset that he had to go. Over a year later they still stop me on the street and say that they miss his crow.

Hattie saw me take him away and would not have anything to do with me for months. My other two ladies were frankly thrilled to see him gone.

I am about to go through this again as I let my barred rock, Sydney hatch when she went broody this spring. Of course one of them is a rooster. The plan is to keep Ned until he is ready to crow and then move him on. Everyone knows the plan except his sister Lucky. I'm sure she will not be happy when he goes, much like Hattie.

View attachment 2281740

It will be sad to let him go but it will be best for him. My backyard flock is no place for a rooster. This is what I tell myself everyday as I grow more attached to him. He's a real sweetheart so far.

Awww this is such a sweet story! Thank you! What a beautiful guy! My girls seem to be doing ok.. I’m keeping them busy with introducing the 10 week old pullets I have to them. I couldn’t do it with the rooster... he was so mean to them! My backyard flock is the same.. no place for a rooster. I kept him as long as I could and I know he will adjust at my friends house. I can visit him as well anytime! It’s easy to get attached to these critters.. people say chickens don’t have emotions..I kind of think they do! good luck with your current cockerel.. he sure is a cutie!

 

[ANiceKaren]

They will find a way. I find that the best roosters have learned from other roosters. You have definitely done right by him. The break in will be a little rough but once he knows his place it will work well. 20 hens is a lot for a single rooster. In the wild flocks will typically maintain a ratio of around 5 hens to a single rooster. There are plenty of ladies there to be looked after.

This helps me!! Thank you! I love this group of people!

 

[ANiceKaren]

I am so sorry for your losses.

I guess with chickens these sad moments are to be expected... so glad we all have each other