New Roo added to my small flock

[Kimber]

Greetings! This is my first post, and may I say what a wonderful site this is!

I have 4 hens, and a friend just brought over a young roo to add to my flock. I put him in the coop with the girls for the morning and they all got along great. Then I let them out to freerange for the day.

I hung around them for a while and the roo came at me a few times, so I did the alpha roo posturing thing with him and picked him up a few times by his feet and held him upside down for a few min while I told him I was in charge! Tonight he escorted the girls back to to coop and then took off running down our front pasture. He was half way down our 5 acres when I went after him. He started comming toward me and we had it out again, till I escorted him back to the coop and put him in for the night.

Do you think he was trying to find his way back to his old place? Do chickens even have a homing sense?

I think I'll keep him in the coop and run tomorrow. How long till he will stop trying to attack me do you think?

Thanks

 

[davecash]

let him know your not gona hurt him.. dont turn ur back to him, and dont pick at him or adgitate him. id leave him in the coop shut up for a few days, and then let him out tomorrow.. give him plenty of food and water in the coop and let him know that thats where he lives.

on another note, welcome to byc..

 

[BeckyLa]

Welcome to BYC!!

Yes, chickens do have a homing instinct, that's what brings them back to the coop at night. You may have to leave him locked in for a week or so for him to realize that the new coop is home.

Talk to your friend, the aggression is probably the reason why he/she got rid of him. It's not likely he's going to stop attacking. Judging from the fact that he was so aggressive on his first day in a new place, I think, means that it is in his nature to be that way and he's not going to change. imho. If you want a pet that's not aggressive you'll probably have to rehome him and start with a young cockerel, maybe a barred rock or orpington, though other breeds can be good to. Those just came to mind. lol.

 

[Kimber]

Should I go into the coop with him, or just talk to him through the wire. He has pleanty of food and water.

This morning when he went at me it caught me off guard and I kicked at him a few times till I could pick him up. It didn't hurt him, but I'm sure I still showed aggression to him. I think I may have turned my back to him which may be why he went after me. What does it mean to them when you turn your back?

Not having a roo before, this is a new experience for me! Thanks for your advise.

 

[Kimber]

Beckyla, I must have been posting when you were.

He is a buff Orph. I don't want him as a pet, but I would like to be able to walk around my yard without him coming at me. LOL

I also have an 8 y/o girl and a 10 year old boy, and I don't want to have to worry about them being attacked.

 

[BeckyLa]

I've never heard of an Orpington being aggressive like that. Maybe he was just upset about leaving his girls and put in a new place. I guess you could just give him some time to settle in and see how he is. Just don't trust him, especially with the kids. I'd leave him locked in for a week before letting him out. I'd even give him a couple of days before you go in the coop with him, just let him settle a bit. Even give some treats once in a while. After a week, I'd start letting him out a couple hours before dark and be in the yard with him to see what his attitude is. But I'd also keep the kids away whenever he's out for several weeks. If then you feel he's ok, try one child at a time and see how he is with them. This is what I would do. But as soon as you feel he's going to be a problem, he should leave. Long before the kids can become afraid. Once they fear him it could ruin their love for chickens for the rest of their lives.

(personally, I'd rehome him or give him back. With children around I'd rather begin with a roo that even in coming to a new place is calm and quiet rather than try to later fix problems created by keeping a roo and "hoping" he'll be ok. imho)

 

[Kimber]

Thanks BeckyLa, I'll keep him in the coop for a while and call his previous owners to see if he was aggressive with them. The reason they gave him up was "supposedly" because they had 2 roos and only wanted one.

 

[BeckyLa]

I really hope he works out for you.