Quarantined cockerel going nuts!

[Trish1974]

Yesterday I brought home a lovely 9 month old araucana cockerel. He is in quarantine in a large dog crate in my utility room. I wasn't planning on adding a new chicken in the dead of winter, so I left the little quarantine/integrating coop inside my main chicken run and it is frozen to the ground. Putting him out there for quarantine would be pointless! Yesterday after having him home he was almost breaking his neck trying to get out of that crate. (He did escape when I was changing his water. Dang, can those araucanas fly!!) He was growling, flapping around, carrying on and I figured he would calm down overnight. Uh...no.

He was living with his 2 cockerel siblings, his 2 pullet sisters, and 10 mature hens. He was hatched on that property so I can understand he's scared; never being away from other chickens or away from home. But at some point half my hens have been inside in the same crate, same room, and did not act that way at all. They never fussed, and it was their first time away from each other and crated.

Is this typical male behavior? Is there anything I can do to ease his nerves? That room's window faces the chicken run, I opened the window so he could hear the hens thinking that would bring a little comfort but it didn't seem to make a difference.

El Guapo is going to be renamed Cholo if he doesn't calm down!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can he have "free range" in the utility room?

Some chickens don't tolerate caging very well. I'm sorry that he is not calming down. I don't know what you can do. Keep the room semi-dark? Play a radio with some soothing music? Just a couple of ideas.

Photos of this wild boy will be welcomed, would love to see him

 

[Abriana]

Yesterday I brought home a lovely 9 month old araucana cockerel. He is in quarantine in a large dog crate in my utility room. I wasn't planning on adding a new chicken in the dead of winter, so I left the little quarantine/integrating coop inside my main chicken run and it is frozen to the ground. Putting him out there for quarantine would be pointless! Yesterday after having him home he was almost breaking his neck trying to get out of that crate. (He did escape when I was changing his water. Dang, can those araucanas fly!!) He was growling, flapping around, carrying on and I figured he would calm down overnight. Uh...no.

He was living with his 2 cockerel siblings, his 2 pullet sisters, and 10 mature hens. He was hatched on that property so I can understand he's scared; never being away from other chickens or away from home. But at some point half my hens have been inside in the same crate, same room, and did not act that way at all. They never fussed, and it was their first time away from each other and crated.

Is this typical male behavior? Is there anything I can do to ease his nerves? That room's window faces the chicken run, I opened the window so he could hear the hens thinking that would bring a little comfort but it didn't seem to make a difference.

El Guapo is going to be renamed Cholo if he doesn't calm down!

He’s Probably anxious all cooped up. Why don’t you take him far from the others, and let him out to stretch his legs and run around? It would probably do him a lot of good. You know when you sit around a lot and you get anxious like you need to move around and exercise? That’s probably what he’s feeling. A run in the yard every day once or twice a day would probably make a big difference.

 

[JedJackson]

Yesterday I brought home a lovely 9 month old araucana cockerel. He is in quarantine in a large dog crate in my utility room. I wasn't planning on adding a new chicken in the dead of winter, so I left the little quarantine/integrating coop inside my main chicken run and it is frozen to the ground. Putting him out there for quarantine would be pointless! Yesterday after having him home he was almost breaking his neck trying to get out of that crate. (He did escape when I was changing his water. Dang, can those araucanas fly!!) He was growling, flapping around, carrying on and I figured he would calm down overnight. Uh...no.

He was living with his 2 cockerel siblings, his 2 pullet sisters, and 10 mature hens. He was hatched on that property so I can understand he's scared; never being away from other chickens or away from home. But at some point half my hens have been inside in the same crate, same room, and did not act that way at all. They never fussed, and it was their first time away from each other and crated.

Is this typical male behavior? Is there anything I can do to ease his nerves? That room's window faces the chicken run, I opened the window so he could hear the hens thinking that would bring a little comfort but it didn't seem to make a difference.

El Guapo is going to be renamed Cholo if he doesn't calm down!

He's likely scared, as was said, but he's also a smaller breed and a cockerel, all of which are likely factors in his behavior. I definitely would not let him out of the cage outside at this point because he could easily take off and never return.

If you can borrow a larger cage it might help. Covering the cage with a cloth also helps calm them down, but leave an inch or two uncovered at the bottom so he can get fresh air. And if all of his former flock mates were active and healthy it may be worth the risk of introducing him to your flock sooner rather than later.

 

[Trish1974]

@Wyorp Rock The utility room is also a catch-all room...random stuff piled high on shelves and not very safe to let him loose in there. Yesterday when he got out he was flying into the window and knocked down a lot of stuff. I did keep the light low, but I will try a radio. Thanks!

@Abriana I wish I could. As wild as he's acting I'm afraid I'd never catch him again if I let him loose.

Here's a pic. He is supposed to be black, but as you can see, he didn't turn out that way. But, I got him as a $10 cull! I'm going to use him to breed to my 2 blue eggers (they are 1/2 ameraucana 1/2 brown leghorn), to keep my blue egg layers going.

 

[Abriana]

@Wyorp Rock The utility room is also a catch-all room...random stuff piled high on shelves and not very safe to let him loose in there. Yesterday when he got out he was flying into the window and knocked down a lot of stuff. I did keep the light low, but I will try a radio. Thanks!

@Abriana I wish I could. As wild as he's acting I'm afraid I'd never catch him again if I let him loose.

Here's a pic. He is supposed to be black, but as you can see, he didn't turn out that way. But, I got him as a $10 cull! I'm going to use him to breed to my 2 blue eggers (they are 1/2 ameraucana 1/2 brown leghorn), to keep my blue egg layers going.

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Ah ok. I meant outside tho. Do you have a fenced area or something? Garden?

 

[Trish1974]

Thanks @JedJackson those are some good suggestions! I'll try all of those. Should I stay away from him, or spend a lot of time in there so he can get used to me and have some company?

You are right, they are a smaller breed! I had never seen an araucana in person and was surprised at how small he is!

 

[Trish1974]

Ah ok. I meant outside tho

That's what I meant too! LOL

 

[Abriana]

That's what I meant too! LOL

Oh ok lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock The utility room is also a catch-all room...random stuff piled high on shelves and not very safe to let him loose in there. Yesterday when he got out he was flying into the window and knocked down a lot of stuff. I did keep the light low, but I will try a radio. Thanks!

@Abriana I wish I could. As wild as he's acting I'm afraid I'd never catch him again if I let him loose.

Here's a pic. He is supposed to be black, but as you can see, he didn't turn out that way. But, I got him as a $10 cull! I'm going to use him to breed to my 2 blue eggers (they are 1/2 ameraucana 1/2 brown leghorn), to keep my blue egg layers going.

View attachment 1260648

Very Handsome!

I like @JedJackson idea of placing a towel or cover on the cage, it may make him feel more secure.

How long are you planning on quarantine?
It's hard to know whether or not to risk putting him with your girls without finishing your quarantine period....it sounds like he is under quite a bit of stress at the moment, as odd as this sounds, it could prove useful. Here's why - stress can bring out symptoms of underlying disease or conditions, it will take time for symptoms to show though. Another thought would be to bring in a least favorite girl to be with him, to see if that calms him down - she would really need to stay with him for the duration - if she becomes ill, then you would need to cull her (and him). Just some thoughts on that.

The other option would be to just integrate him, but....I'm sure you are aware of the risks there since you are already taking precautions to minimize illness. (good job on that!)

Try a few of the suggestions and see if he will calm down. Whatever decision you make will be the right one for you.