Rooster Chat

[Stephine]

Haha! Keep the paper there and get the chicken, quick!

This has nothing to do with roosters but it might be worth a laugh
Monday when I got home I decided to move a chicken into a cage inside my barn.So I grabbed this roll of paper to put on the floor(for poop) and a large wolf spider came running out and almost went up my arm. Im not overly afraid of them but this still made me jump. I managed to shake him off before he got on me. Then I chased him away with the paper roll.I don't kill them as they eat bugs and theres really no use in it. Well I went back to putting the paper on the floor and I guess I upset the spider messing with his home. Because he came back REALLY FAST ran across my right foot. Im not sure if he jumped or what but suddenly he was on my left foot and ran half way up my naked hairy leg before I could react. The spider still lives but if I find him again he will die!

 

[Stephine]

Young roosters often need to be kept separate for a while as they mature. They are typical teenage boys picking on the girls.

How do you do that without making him miserable?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How do you do that without making him miserable?

This is how I look at it, the pullets are miserable being chased and yanked and mounted. I take all the pullets into consideration before I worry about how the rooster feels. He just wants to mate and fight.

Is he miserable sitting in a pen? Mine don't appear to be, they interact through the fence with the flock. They are always penned where they can see everyone. I do know the hens and pullets are happier not having to put up with constant harassment.

Respectful roosters get left to do their thing, bullies and over eager roosters get managed. Most grow up to become a valuable member of the flock, a few don't make the cut, but I always try to wait until they are fully mature before I decide their fate unless they do things I can't tolerate, like last season a few young roosters were attacking my bantam hens, and young chicks, those boys went right away.

 

[Stephine]

This is how I look at it, the pullets are miserable being chased and yanked and mounted. I take all the pullets into consideration before I worry about how the rooster feels. He just wants to mate and fight.

Is he miserable sitting in a pen? Mine don't appear to be, they interact through the fence with the flock. They are always penned where they can see everyone. I do know the hens and pullets are happier not having to put up with constant harassment.

Respectful roosters get left to do their thing, bullies and over eager roosters get managed. Most grow up to become a valuable member of the flock, a few don't make the cut, but I always try to wait until they are fully mature before I decide their fate unless they do things I can't tolerate, like last season a few young roosters were attacking my bantam hens, and young chicks, those boys went right away.

Thank you. I will definitely go that route if my next rooster turns out to be a pesky cockerel. I hope I won't have to but I will always side with my hens as well. Do you set up a pen in the coop? And one outside? And take him back and forth? I'd better atart thinking about how I could arrange things...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you. I will definitely go that route if my next rooster turns out to be a pesky cockerel. I hope I won't have to but I will always side with my hens as well. Do you set up a pen in the coop? And one outside? And take him back and forth? I'd better atart thinking about how I could arrange things...

I have a couple of permanent separation pens in my large shed. I have also set up temporary summer pens, as well as temporary pens in my coops. I find a permanent separation pen to be a valuable tool for separating any bird that needs it. I am lucky that I have a large shed which gives me plenty of options.


This is my main pen for roosters. It also doubles as a feeding area. My main batch of begging chickens wait on top of it to get scratch in the morning.

 

[Stephine]

I have a couple of permanent separation pens in my large shed. I have also set up temporary summer pens, as well as temporary pens in my coops. I find a permanent separation pen to be a valuable tool for separating any bird that needs it. I am lucky that I have a large shed which gives me plenty of options.

This is my main pen for roosters. It also doubles as a feeding area. My main batch of begging chickens wait on top of it to get scratch in the morning.

That looks handy!
We have a coop and run set up- the barn is full with horses and their stuff... Maybe a little tractor coop to put next to it would be ok. I don't quite see myself carrying the roo back and forth daily, but I would want to offer him outside access...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Last year we set up this pen next to the old truck the chickens hang out under during the day for 2 cochin roosters. The house was made out of a wooden crate. It wasn't exactly predator proof but i was willing to risk it. The boys did fine in it and were visited daily. They are out with the flock now.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

.

 

[meetthebubus]

My hen turned into a rooster, now she acts and looks just like a roo, I keep her separate but engaged. You can see her in this video

 

[TheTwoRoos]

That happens,usually do to an infection in the ovaduct system,I think thats what its called.