Rooster behavior

[MinniesMomma]

I saw that pop up as I was typing. He has crooked toes.
Do you hatch eggs from his matings?

I have several of his offspring, and all of them have feet that are totally normal

 

[sourland]

You are also seeing the results of the cockerel's actions against the disabled rooster. Sometimes roosters that are " beat down" or their "spirit" is broken - he may have a hard time coming back from that. If you separate - put the cockerel further away from the rooster and hens, so there is no fence fighting or posturing. I would also get some poultry vitamins into him to give him a boost since all this is stressful.

Fact stated above. The physical and psychological effects of such a "beat down" are sometimes irreversible. The longer the rooster is subject to this dominance the less chance that he will recover.

 

[MinniesMomma]

Fact stated above. The physical and psychological effects of such a "beat down" are sometimes irreversible. The longer the rooster is subject to this dominance the less chance that he will recover.

It has been about 3 days, so hopefully it is not so long that Misha can't come back. If so, I will build him a pen where he can live alone if that would be best for him. He is a Russian orloff and has the best temperament of any rooster I have ever met.
@Wyorp Rock Is there anything I could have done for him when he was younger to straighten his toes?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you all for your excellent advice! I am coming up on 2 years of chicken raising, and there is still so much to learn!

It has been about 3 days, so hopefully it is not so long that Misha can't come back. If so, I will build him a pen where he can live alone if that would be best for him. He is a Russian orloff and has the best temperament of any rooster I have ever met.
@Wyorp Rock Is there anything I could have done for him when he was younger to straighten his toes?

We are all learning! Everyday.

Removing the cockerel will help, just keep watch on him. His hiding is concerning, but it's sounds like he's mild tempered, so hopefully he will come around once he's not being terrorized.

It's hard to know if the toes could be corrected. They look crooked to me. Often that is from incubation troubles and from what I understand usually not correctable. Sometimes it can be genetic, but if you have haven't seen the trait in offspring, that's good.

Just a note - there is a difference between curled toe and crooked toe. Curled toes are more where the toes curl under and this is commonly due to vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency. Crooked toes are from incubation problems, genetics, etc.
https://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-and-muscular-disorders/crooked-toes/https://thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

 

[MinniesMomma]

We are all learning! Everyday.

Removing the cockerel will help, just keep watch on him. His hiding is concerning, but it's sounds like he's mild tempered, so hopefully he will come around once he's not being terrorized.

It's hard to know if the toes could be corrected. They look crooked to me. Often that is from incubation troubles and from what I understand usually not correctable. Sometimes it can be genetic, but if you have haven't seen the trait in offspring, that's good.

Just a note - there is a difference between curled toe and crooked toe. Curled toes are more where the toes curl under and this is commonly due to vitamin B2 (riboflavin) deficiency. Crooked toes are from incubation problems, genetics, etc.
https://poultrykeeper.com/skeletal-and-muscular-disorders/crooked-toes/https://thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

Excellent information, thank you!!

 

[MinniesMomma]

@Wyorp Rock, I have been worried about Misha's spirit since the earlier messages. I was able to get Carl Wayne, the aggressor, locked in the run and let Misha out with everybody else. All is peaceful and he is acting like his normal self! I was also able to find a home for Carl Wayne and he will be going tomorrow!

 

[Folly's place]

Good news!
Mary

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Wyorp Rock, I have been worried about Misha's spirit since the earlier messages. I was able to get Carl Wayne, the aggressor, locked in the run and let Misha out with everybody else. All is peaceful and he is acting like his normal self! I was also able to find a home for Carl Wayne and he will be going tomorrow!

Wonderful news!
I'm glad to hear Misha is doing well. I hope Carl Wayne has great new home with his own hens so he can be happy too.

 

[Peppercorngal]

It has been about 3 days, so hopefully it is not so long that Misha can't come back. If so, I will build him a pen where he can live alone if that would be best for him. He is a Russian orloff and has the best temperament of any rooster I have ever met.
@Wyorp Rock Is there anything I could have done for him when he was younger to straighten his toes?

I had to sell some beautiful Amerucana roosters that attacked my most favorite wonderful super deluxe rooster Harvey. They were beautiful, and well mannered until the day they decided to gang up on my Harvey. They had to live separated in a run of their own until I sold them. Don't punish the victim, separate the attacker! There are two feed stores in my town that will buy roosters. Either $10 or $5 each depending on breed and purity. Maybe you can find a store that will do the same for you.

 

[MinniesMomma]

Wonderful news!
I'm glad to hear Misha is doing well. I hope Carl Wayne has great new home with his own hens so he can be happy too.

Carl Wayne is heading off to a home where he will be the only rooster and he will have his own flock of hens! He should be very happy there!