Rooster Chat

[ES4me]

I wound up returning "Lame Chester" to the flock after 73 hours of 'time out', mainly due to the fact that Red was in a funk. I had moved him and his flock to their new coop and run and the poor rooster stood at the fence and stared into space. He stopped crowing, stopped tending the hens. I was starting to get worried about him when my husband pointed out that maybe he missed his 'buds' and was happy with his place in the group. So I put Chester back in the pen. I wish I had filmed the release. That Welsummer rooster was happier than what should be considered legal. He crowed, he danced, he sang, he danced some more. He was soooooo happy to see his hens again that if he was a puppy he would have been wetting himself with joy. No matter which hen he danced around, she squatted for him. Red perked up immediately. There was no challenging between them, no fighting, not even a ruffled feather.

Red still isn't acting himself 100% but getting one of his buddies back seemed to help. I wish I could return the other two but I cannot trust either one of them enough to go into the pen with them and doubt if that is going to change in the future

Aw-glad it is working out better! Sounds like he is beyond thrilled!

 

[cowboysgirlfrnd]

That's pretty normal for young roosters. I've kept flock mates together for years, occasionally they might actually fight but usually the pecking order is worked out in the manner that you are seeing. Those raised together will often tolerate each other and some enjoy each other's company, and will form a coalition.

It's different when they weren't raised together, though generally the younger rooster will respect the older rooster and give him distance when he's near.

Well, the bickering seems to be escalating somewhat now. I went to put everybody away for the night and my welsummer roo was hiding outside the coop looking a little dishevelled and bleeding a little bit from his comb. I put him in a horse stall for the night as he seemed quite stressed and I didn't want the blue roo, or my old hens, to pick on him all night. Is this a sign that there is one too many boys and I need to get rid of one? Or could this be just part of the pecking order being established? During the day they seem to be fine and take turns shepherding the girls around.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Well, the bickering seems to be escalating somewhat now. I went to put everybody away for the night and my welsummer roo was hiding outside the coop looking a little dishevelled and bleeding a little bit from his comb. I put him in a horse stall for the night as he seemed quite stressed and I didn't want the blue roo, or my old hens, to pick on him all night. Is this a sign that there is one too many boys and I need to get rid of one? Or could this be just part of the pecking order being established? During the day they seem to be fine and take turns shepherding the girls around.

Sometimes my boys fight, I haven't had any cause any real injuries, there can be lots of bloody combs and wattles, eventually they work it out. I wouldn't leave him separated for long, return him in the morning. I only step in if it's one being cornered and submitting but still being beaten, otherwise I leave them. Interfering too much can cause troubles. It's not normal for roosters to fight to the death, only until it's resolved or until they are exhausted, they might go at it again if they were too tired to finish, but eventually they get it resolved with an occasional try to move up the ladder.

 

[cowboysgirlfrnd]

Sometimes my boys fight, I haven't had any cause any real injuries, there can be lots of bloody combs and wattles, eventually they work it out. I wouldn't leave him separated for long, return him in the morning. I only step in if it's one being cornered and submitting but still being beaten, otherwise I leave them. Interfering too much can cause troubles. It's not normal for roosters to fight to the death, only until it's resolved or until they are exhausted, they might go at it again if they were too tired to finish, but eventually they get it resolved with an occasional try to move up the ladder.

Thanks, that's reassuring! Everybody will go out together again in the morning. My blue roo has just discovered what to do with girls so maybe he's feeling a little more aggressive, whereas the welsummer hasn't tried to mate anybody yet. They free range so there is lots of room for them during the day but going to bed puts everybody a bit close and my old hens often stir up trouble.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Roost time is often filled with squabbles and jostling for the best positions, usually next to a rooster, so I think he might of went in later but he would have been fine. Free ranging always allows the loser to keep a respectable distance. Trouble comes usually when they are kept confined, so you have that as an advantage, he can always run.

 

[newhamplover]

Many of my roosters will help raise and take care of chicks, the good ones at least. I don't recall any roosters pecking chicks, just the hens. I believe the rooster will always think they are potentially his offspring, the hens know they aren't theirs. That's my theory.

I was so worried, this is my first time to hatch chicks, that Harry would be mean to them from what I had read. The opposite has been true. He has been so good to them, not one peck. They are almost 9 weeks now & they have been running during the day with the big guys for 2 weeks. Alice has done of couple of pecks as one runs by but that has been it. So far everything has went great. My Harry is a sweetheart. A couple of days ago the chick were dirt rolling & he stood guard over them. I am starting to introduce them to the chicken house. They are having a big time in there but I am not ready to try to leave them in there all night yet. Just don't want anything to go wrong if I can prevent it. Everything has been great through this whole process except that out of my 7 chicks I got 5 roos. That part has just made me sick. I am so attached to them but I sure can't have a total of 6 roos & 4 hens.

 

[microchick]

I have to agree. I've only seen our alpha rooster peck a chick once and that was when they were around 10 weeks old and one of them plowed into him while playing with one of it's siblings. It wasn't a hard peck, more like a 'behave yourself you little heathen' correction over aggression.

I heard my first strangled crow from one of the young cockerels this morning. 13 weeks old this weekend. That is something else that is sure interesting to watch. There doesn't seem to be any competition between the young cockerels and the mature roosters. At least not yet. I've seen a few ruffled hackle feathers between two that I suspect are cockerels but no stress between the alpha and the youngsters.

In a curious turn of events, my Buff O rooster, Red, the one who was ousted by the two Welsummer roosters when they formed an allegiance two weeks ago, appears to have lost all interest in the hens. I have not seen him dance, tidbit or otherwise tend to any of the girls. All he wants to do is eat. Before he would take bites of bread for me and give 3 of every 4 to the girls. Now he just wolfs them down himself. The thing I hate most about this is that he is a great rooster and unless he quits acting like a eunuch on his own the eggs Aggie is due to hatch out next weekend will be the last fathered by him.

The good news is that I have at least one full blooded son of his and one half blooded son from the February hatch.

Otherwise he is back to normal.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I let my broody out with her 5 week old chicks two days ago and two of the roosters were trying to help find food and were definitely curious. Mine are bantam cochins so they are a bit more gentle than normal roosters. Of course it's the dominant hen that has the chicks so everything is going smoothly.

newhamplover, I know the feeling of finding out you have too many roosters, that's really bad odds on your hatch. You have a really nice looking coop.

microchick, I love those first crows from the young boys, it always make me laugh. It sounds like your BO is just going to take care of himself for now, maybe he's not getting enough to eat with the pair of welsummer after him. It's sad when they lose their positions.

 

[microchick]

Thanks oldhenlikesdogs, you are probably right. I broke up the Welsummer roosters the minute I saw what had happened. One of them, the one that shared alpha with Red, I eventually returned to the coop and they are getting on great again. But now, only the Welsummer is tending the hens. Very curious but I am glad that Rocky, Red's son is waiting in the wings if Red doesn't get his groove back. Red is a very sweet, gentle rooster and yes, my favorite. The other two roosters are in a bachelor pen right now. Hating it, but at the moment, my Buff O hen is on day 14 sitting on a dozen eggs in the old coop. Once she vacates, the old coop will become my bachelor pen.

Yes, I love hearing the little boys start to crow. They are so funny. I usually come in and tell my husband that somebody is strangling the young boys because that is what it sounds like when they start to crow.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Question,will a chick aggressive rooster attack his own blood?Or do you think he will help our broody out.He has been wing dancing around her eevrytime I let her out of her crate to dustbath,get fresh air,feed,grass,and water.Do you think he eevn knows what her attitude is about?What she is doing?