Odd little rooster.

[Brahmalover4eva]

Hello BYC! So my little bantam rooster is a bit of a misfit. He can't seem to make friends with my birds, they fight a lot. He comes onto the deck every day then starts crowing. I open the door and *poof* he's in my arms half asleep as I stroke his feathers. Unfortunately his failure to make an alliance with the flock has given an infection on his neck, which I am currently treating, I am also going to start treating him for lice, as he has recently been afflicted by the seasonal pest. My dad also will not allow an indoor chicken (I don't blame him, we had a hen healing from bumblefoot and it was quite the hassle keeping her in as her cage could not be kept "Odor-free"). So what do you suppose I do? We have indoor/outdoor cats, could that possibly work with a chicken?
Thanks!
~Gigi.

 

[tobit]

You could maybe try and keep him with one or 2 hens to start with for him to be introduced to before being set lose on the flock? If the rest of the flock is all large fowl he may just be too small to establish himself (which i doubt bantams are feisty little buggers!)

 

[Brahmalover4eva]

It's not not that he can't get along with the flock, it's just that he attacks every chicken he see's (even though we have bantams and he doesn't attack his rooster friend).

 

[enola]

Is he attacking? Or trying to breed?

 

[tobit]

he might just be very hormonal and tries to breed (agressively) with the hens which they don't like..

 

[Brahmalover4eva]

NO way is he trying to breed. I've lived with chickens my whole life and not to brag BUT, I am quite good at reading their body. The rooster is puffing his hackles, then he jumps at their faces and spurs them.

 

[drumstick diva]

Where is a "chicken whisperer," when you need one? I think he just has 'Chihuahua syndrome'- he thinks he is BIG stuff, and the others don't see him that way.

 

[drumstick diva]

What type of bantam is he? Maybe he has some game bird in his background.

 

[Brahmalover4eva]

What type of bantam is he? Maybe he has some game bird in his background.

not sure. He has silkie in him (purple comb, turquoise earlobes, fifth toe, and a crest + beard.) and some other bantam. He kinda has the color of a salmon faverolle roo and really big eyes. Oh and he's not fighting anymore! But he walks onto the deck and starts crowing until I diaper him and let him inside.