Rooster Chat

[newmarch2014]

I appreciate the input all. I will probably be getting rid of him soon. I have someone that will take him for food but will have to at least make the rounds to see if someone wants to take him to keep him living. He really is an ok rooster with people, it is only my favorite hen that he is damaging really, the rest of them are either too mean for him or too fast for him. I cannot have him picking on her though. He is beautiful, reasonably quiet and not mean so it seems such a shame to process him.

 

[Free Feather]

I appreciate the input all. I will probably be getting rid of him soon. I have someone that will take him for food but will have to at least make the rounds to see if someone wants to take him to keep him living. He really is an ok rooster with people, it is only my favorite hen that he is damaging really, the rest of them are either too mean for him or too fast for him. I cannot have him picking on her though. He is beautiful, reasonably quiet and not mean so it seems such a shame to process him.

How much room do they have? It sounds like he is just trying to figure out the ropes since he has no one to show him how to do it right. He sounds overwhelmed because he has all of these disobedient girls to put in line, and he is only one man.

 

[newmarch2014]

How much room do they have? It sounds like he is just trying to figure out the ropes since he has no one to show him how to do it right. He sounds overwhelmed because he has all of these disobedient girls to put in line, and he is only one man.

They have a 4 x 8 coop with an enclosed run that is about 12 x 20 for him and the 7 hens with time out in my garden and yard quite frequently. He is a decent guy. He just tidbitted his first worm for one of the young girls today, it was so cute. I am dragging my feet because I really do like him a lot....just nowhere near as much as my favorite hen.

 

[the poppster]

They have a 4 x 8 coop with an enclosed run that is about 12 x 20 for him and the 7 hens with time out in my garden and yard quite frequently. He is a decent guy. He just tidbitted his first worm for one of the young girls today, it was so cute. I am dragging my feet because I really do like him a lot....just nowhere near as much as my favorite hen.

I have always made sure to have more then one rooster...three seems like the magic number...they needn't be all big boys...but a word of warning...my bantam Roos tend to pull the feathers out of the back of my girls heads, when trying to mount them...so be sure they are sized about the same as your hens...three Roos will work out their positions....as top,middle and bottom. They will usually take out any frustrations on each other rather than the hens. It takes a while for a rooster to "Get it right" and start acting like a rooster...tidbiting and calling to the hens. I give my favourite rooster treats and he bites off pieces and drops them for the hens.

 

[uzisuzuki]

I currently have 1 Sebright rooster & his offspring, an almost 5 month old Sebright/Polish mix cockerel. Until sometime today while I was at work, the father had kept the son in check as Nbr. 2 male to him. Today, the son did some significant damage to the father & not only took over as Alpha but has his father terrified of him. I know I don't have enough hens for 2 males & am working on correcting that. The father is separated from the rest of the flock so he can heal & because the son wouldn't let him roost in the coop with the flock. I guess my main concern is if the father can ever reintegrate into the flock after taking such a smack down or if the son will continue to try to kill him even after I add more hens.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've barely had my flock for a year, so I don't know what I'm doing most of the time & am grateful for the continued help these boards are willing to give a bumbling fool like me.

 

[the poppster]

Dear Uzisuzuki, I was wondering if the son is larger then the father...and do you only have the two Roos...it seems to take some of the competition away from Roosters by giving them competition...it seems that if there are only two Roos they focus on one another...with very little let up...he has his Dad running because his Dad is the only threat to his position in the flock.

 

[uzisuzuki]

Dear Uzisuzuki, I was wondering if the son is larger then the father...and do you only have the two Roos...it seems to take some of the competition away from Roosters by giving them competition...it seems that if there are only two Roos they focus on one another...with very little let up...he has his Dad running because his Dad is the only threat to his position in the flock.

Yes, he did end up much bigger than Dad & I guess finally figured that out. Okay, having 3 is preferable to just 2? I might be able to do something about that. Thank you!

 

[the poppster]

It seems like it helps...I have four at this time with about twenty five hens. Haven't had any problems with them....they worked out their positions and pretty much leave each other alone...oh there's an occasional face-off but it rarely goes any farther...I stopped my Silkie Roo from running the little Welsummer bantam, and himself to death...by grabbing the Silkie and giving the little guy a chance to get out of sight for a while....never witnessed it again...

 

[cabinchicky]

I had 3 roos with 22 hens and the bottom roo was bullied so much he couldn't breed and then turned into a nasty lil bugger. I get it sometimes works with 3 of other breeds but I won't try 3 EE males again.

 

[Folly's place]

Sometimes roosters will get along, and sometimes not. If injuries are happening, rehome someone or set up a totally separate coop. Mary