Polish Rooster

[basketmom]

I have another question. I have a 6 month old Polish Rooster (Yes, I have confirmed he is a rooster). He is the most docile bird and just a pleasure to raise. I got him and my 10 hens at one day old. However, he does not run the coop. After dark he will be in the coop sleeping and the hens are out in the run. He always sleeps away from the girls in the coop. Isn't the rooster supposed to take care of the hens?

 

[chickenshagg]

I have a polish roo as well. Not sure how old he is although I do know that he is young I picked him up at an auction for $2.00 because my wife thought he was cute. I kept him seperated from the girls for four weeks. He has been with all the girls now for about five weeks. He hangs out with the big girls but he seems to be passive towards them. He does not go into the coop at night on his own, all the girls will be on the roost in the coop and he will be on the roost in the run. I have to pick him up and carry him inside and place him on the roost with the girls. I went out last night to close up the coop and saw that he had gone in on his own but he was sleeping in a nest box while all of the girls were on the roost.

He is doing a good job as a protecter of the flock. The other day I had let all of them out to free range. I was in the house when all of a sudden I heard him screaming and flapping around. I jumped up and ran out only to see him standing on the patio and a hawk flying away. All of the girls had run for cover in the bushes. After the hawk was gone he started struting around and crowing for the girls which they slowly stepped back out.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I think he may need to grow up a bit more. I don't have any polish, but I wonder how much trouble he'll have being a good lookout with all his head feathers?

 

[basketmom]

Thanks guys, my Polish sleeps in the nexting boxes too. Especially when it's cold, luckily it's the one nesting box they do not use