Pet Cockerel ????

[Gundawg]

We are first time chicken owners and we love animals we have a flock of 19 birds all about 6-7 months old I have had them since they were a couple days old. About 2 months ago the 2 cockerels had a big fight and since then we have had the one cockerel isolated from the other cockerel.

My wife is attached to the cockerel that lost the fight he is a big Buff Brahma he is the one who is isolated from the other cockerel a Barred Rock who will go right after him if they get close. We free range them in the afternoon and never let the two cockerels out together. We let each out with the pullets but not at the same time.

The Barred Rock lives with the pullets all the time and the Buff Brahma lives 3 feet away in a separate pin they all can see each other but only interact when we let them free range for a few hours most days.

My wife has been bringing the wounded cockerel into the garage at night inside a dog crate because he had lost a lot of feathers in the fight which now are pretty much grown back in, she also brings him in the house to love on him for about 20 minutes each night. He has become pretty tame and my wife likes him.

My daughter in-law is into chickens and has raised them longer than we have she says we should not bring him in the house because of diseases. I have done a little research and it looks like she is right what do you all do? Do any of you keep them as pets? I guess maybe we should get rid of the bird but my wife does not want him killed any ideas? Could we have him tested to make sure he is not carrying anything? We have grandchildren and would hate to get any of them sick.

Thanks Mike

 

[junebuggena]

Rehome the Barred Rock, and let the Brahma live with the hens. That kind of aggression is not normal for cockerels that grew up together.

 

[Gundawg]

Rehome the Barred Rock, and let the Brahma live with the hens. That kind of aggression is not normal for cockerels that grew up together.

The thing is the Brahma was ornery to the pullets and all the other birds prior to the big fight he was the alpha and had food aggression the Barred Rock is good with the pullets and is protective of them he actually seems like the better cockerel but he doesn't like the Brahma cockerel. The Brahma pecked all the birds until the day the Barred Rock took over.

 

[Gundawg]

My wife just told me the Barred Rock cockerel has been pecking her on the legs when she goes in the run area so this just made up my mind he is gone. He has never done that to me but I catch him every now and then and pet him so I have shown him dominance.