Neighbors roosters harassing my hens.........what else can I do?

[DDRanch]

This morning 2 of my neighbor's banty roosters came over and harassed and chased my hens all the way up our hill and back to the coop. They were quite frightened. One of the roosters bloodied one of my girls before I could intervene. I chased them off.

I have never had a rooster and I don't particularily want one....HOWEVER......over the past few years this particular neighbor has acquired random roosters and hens, lets them free range 24/7. Most are killed by their own dogs or taken by predators at night. This newest band of some 6 bantys has been around for about a month now. Today this was the first day the roosters discovered my hens. My acerage is fenced so my girls were on my property.
I know that sometimes unfortunate accidents happen to feral roosters who don't stay home.

If I got my own rooster, would he keep any feral or neighboring roosters away from my hens? and....

My little flock ranges from 4 to 7 years old....will they adjust to a rooster if I got one?

Appreciate your thoughts......

 

[speckledhen]

I would treat anyone's rooster coming onto my own property as a predator. They can bring disease or hurt your hens and if you get your own rooster, that's a whole new set of problems. Just ask Cetawin, who has disposed of a neighbor's rooster who attacked her in her own yard.


I'm surprised we've never had one of the local roosters wander up here to our place. If we do, he will be dispatched ASAP. Your hens would adjust to a rooster, but they'd probably give him a pretty good hazing at first.

 

[rocksteady]

your own rooster would slow um down i would think , but if they got into a fight and your rooster lost....they would treat him like a hen .....i would think

just my 2 cents worth

 

[ReikiStar]

If you have fencing, I'd place two or more strands of electrical wire fencing at an appropriate height. If those roosters touch the wire with their legs or combs...they will NOT try to come into your yard. We had a rooster who would flaunt himself in front of the hens' house all day. We put hot wire up to protect against predators and now that rooster spends all his free time with his other roosters buddies.

Hot wire is the great equalizer, even on chickens.

 

[sourland]

A standard gamefowl rooster would make short work of those bantam roosters. Gamefowl are very rarely 'human aggressive'. That trait, for obvious reasons, has been bred out of them. Also in my experience they are very good with hens and as flock protective as any rooster can be.

 

[zazouse]

Oh i don't know about a bigger roo for your girls, they seem to have gotten along fine without one and at their age putting up with a frisky roo might be stressful for them, course if the wip the tar outa him he probly gonna run from little roo too.
getting your own roo could also backfire cause i have bantys here that got no problem trying to whip a big roo and sometimes they win a flock of hens they can't even breed

 

[DDRanch]

Thank you everyone. Your ideas and counsel are appreciated. I will let you know how this all turns out.

 

[Cetawin]

Sorry to hear of your troubles...been there done that and still battle my idiot neighbor's birds. Here is my 2 cents worth

1. Dispatch the invading roos pronto. First and foremost is the risk to your girls'. Their health is paramount. They are obviously healthy well cared girls to have reached their ages.

2. Do not get a roo to raise up for them. While a roo is an excellent protector and benefit, your girls are seniors and have lived their lives without a roo around and they do not need the stress of a young buck. They will fight him which is stressful and they are not accustomed to the affections of a roo and certainly not some boy with raging hormones...ie a horny toad with feathers.

3. Talk to the neighbor or send them a letter advising them to keep their birds at home or you will be forced to dispatch them as a biosecurity measure and to protect your flock. Contact animal control for your area and let them know of the problem.


Birds can be carriers of various illnesses and diseases which they spread by various means. There is also the risk of external parasites which can cause illness as well. Your girls should not be placed at risk because some idiot cannot keep his/her/their birds at home and properly cared for.