Need to mark my balck rooster

[alessadry]

Oops meant to say black, not balk... anyhow...due to downsizing, I am in need of rehoming several pullets and a cockerel. The two cockerels were best of buddies, but now at 8 months, one thinks he owns the coop and in the evening is sending the other cockerel out. Poor baby now has to wait for the bully to fall asleep to sneak in the coop and get a restful night of sleep.

Anyhow, bully cockerel is actually very sweet with me, he loves to eat food from my hands and (yeah, yeah) he has a soft spot in my heart. So I want to mark him in some way so I make sure I don't give him away tonight. Since he is al black, I will need something white. Maybe a bit of toothpaste on his head when I am feeding him?

Consider that my flock is free range, quite skittish since I got them and I never handle them. I can't just pick him up and put a zip tie on his leg, that would scare him to death, so looking for easy things like spraying him with something while I hand feed him that will last until this evening.

Also, any tips for making catching them easy? I am doing it when it starts getting dark at night and they are all in the coop ready to fall asleep. They are easy to panic, and I can imagine a mess when I try to catch them. I don't want anybody to get hurt (me, my helper and the buyer which is coming with her son). I am imaging the worst, with all chickens/roosters panicking and flying everywhere and playing hard to catch. My roosters are sweet and never attacked but wonder how they will act when I am trying to catch them and scare the daylights out of them.

 

[junebuggena]

Catch at night or early morning when it is dark, not at dusk. That would also be the best time to band the cockerel with a zip time.

 

[alessadry]

Thanks, problem is the person taking them will come already this evening (6:45 pm) already so cannot band.

 

[junebuggena]

Thanks, problem is the person taking them will come already this evening (6:45 pm) already so cannot band.

Then I guess you are out of luck. Trying to catch free-range chickens in the daylight is nearly impossible.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Catch at night or early morning when it is dark, not at dusk. That would also be the best time to band the cockerel with a zip time.

Then I guess you are out of luck. Trying to catch free-range chickens in the daylight is nearly impossible.

Junebuggena makes a good point.

If you have a nice, extendable fish net and some where to cordon them off...it can make catching easier. But in the dark is the best....for next time.

If you don't want to give him away, separate him somewhere where you can't pick him like a kennel or dog crate...something like that. At the very least use livestock paint, or a quick spray of spray paint on him. It'll wear off eventually and shouldn't be that detrimental if it's just a spot of paint. I use livestock paint on my birds all the time.

 

[Hinotori]

Dump a handful of flour on him as a last resort. Took a couple days for the hen I accidently got with some to get it all off. (I was dumping old flour in compost bin and she jumped in.)

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Dump a handful of flour on him as a last resort. Took a couple days for the hen I accidently got with some to get it all off. (I was dumping old flour in compost bin and she jumped in.)

That's a good idea.

 

[alessadry]

Thanks, they will not be free range in the evening. Also note it will not be during daylight, it will be at 6:45 PM when they will be cooped up and ready to sleep (so not daylight but almost dark, my chicken coop automatic door closes already at 5:45 lately) when the person arrives. I found a solution for marking my favorite roo; I fed his favorite treats from my hand, and as he was eating, I got his wattles drenched in some blue kote. He was trying to remove it but I think he still has some that I will be able to see with my flashlight when it's going to be dark. I may try the flour trick if I see it has come off in a little bit.

Edited to add: tried flour but after a bit he scrolled his fur like dogs do and only a minimal amount was left I can still see a bit of blue kote though on his wattles, but not sure if it will be easy to see later when it's dark. .

 

[Mrs. K]

As for handling them wear long sleeves and use a towel, hold each end of the towel in each hand, toss the middle over his head. Reaching for each side of the bird as you do this. Grasp firmly and do not let go, with their head covered in the dark they will be pretty easy to handle.

I will tip a dog crate up on the back, which makes it tall and narrow. One can drop a bird in there, and shut the gate pretty easily.

Good luck.

 

[alessadry]

Thanks so much for the handling tips Mrs. K.