Rooster fending off fox?

[BrookeP]

not necessarily. Foxes will go for the easiest target in their hunting area, and multiple roos are a deterrence. I have not suffered a fox attack since 2020, while a neighbour with just hens has lost several of them every year (and does not understand why I haven't, despite the answer staring him in the face: multiple roos on guard and everyone unconfined and free to run and hide here). The neighbour calls in a friend who hunts them, and he's seen and shot up to 3 at a time in fields around our garden, so they are here.

Your (and presumably your cousin's) problem is your roos are young and have no senior roo to guide them. One or both may fall victim while they are acquiring the necessary experience to protect the flock. But any survivor can train the next one and they'll get better. This is what it looks like when they know what they're doing: roos on the outside, hens in the middle, all acting on instinct and me viewing through a window:
View attachment 3650573

Yes! Thank you for the info. Our roosters do that! It's so cool to see. And there is one main rooster but there are 4 that work together. One little squawk from one of them and they all round them up and the Hens run to a small space and huddle up or they go to the coop. I'm also nervous that they will be out of there element at my cousins. They're use to our land and are covered by trees for the most part and my cousins land is an open field. I also don't want my hens vulnerable but I feel like 5 roosters to 10 chickens in a coop all winter will be rough on the Hens.

 

[BrookeP]

Yes you will be sending them to their eventual death but what's the options here?
Let foxes eat them
Eat them yourself
Let someone else eat them
Keep them around and not let your children enjoy your hens
Keep them around and risk an injury to one of your children. Maybe a lose of an eye?
Rehome them to let someone else risk injuries

Maybe butcher them, take them to your cousins and let your family enjoy some good ol fried chicken then do some fox hunting.
You protect your kids, kids finally get to enjoy the roosters and maybe your cousin solves the fox issue..
That's a win, win, win

I mean that does seem like the best option. This is our first time raising chickens and we knew not to get attached buuuut it happens and I do like our roosters aside from the fact Johnny Bravo is aggressive towards my kids... he can go and I'd feel ok about it. And honestly the only reason why I would get rid of 3 instead of just the main aggressive one is because I felt they would do better in numbers against the fox. Otherwise I might not be getting rid of the others at all. Also.. have you eaten rooster and is it super gamey and tough like people say? Because I don't want to process 3 or 4 roosters and then not eat them because they're aren't good tasting.

 

[mossyoakpro]

The way I understand the flock dynamics is: The roo's job is to basically distract an attacker so that the ladies can escape....I am new to this myself but that makes perfect sense if that's the case. I have an aggressive cockerel and we have weekly altercations but I have kinda gotten used to it and figure his time to shine will be when a predator comes calling. I don't have small children but if I did there's no way I would put up with an attack on them.

I free range all day every day and so far he only tries me when I get close to his gals....a swift punt across the yard and we are good for another week. I don't really care for it but I have no doubt that he would give his life to save the rest of them....and that's why he's still here. Just my $.02

 

[Perris]

my cousins land is an open field

if he wants his flock to thrive, he needs to create some cover, and plant it up with an upper and middle and lower storey. Chickens much prefer light woodland over an open field - they're descended from jungle fowl. See e.g.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/raising-chickens
https://en.engormix.com/poultry-ind...silvopasture-based-poultry-production_a48987/

 

[BrookeP]

if he wants his flock to thrive, he needs to create some cover, and plant it up with an upper and middle and lower storey. Chickens much prefer light woodland over an open field - they're descended from jungle fowl. See e.g.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/raising-chickens
https://en.engormix.com/poultry-ind...silvopasture-based-poultry-production_a48987/

Completely agree. He definitely has woods around. But they also had a barn fire recently. And that's where the chickens would go for shelter most of the tume. He also has a small coop. I think he may have a couple foxes around instead of just one. He now is down to 2 chickens and isn't in need of my roosters anymore.

 

[BrookeP]

The way I understand the flock dynamics is: The roo's job is to basically distract an attacker so that the ladies can escape....I am new to this myself but that makes perfect sense if that's the case. I have an aggressive cockerel and we have weekly altercations but I have kinda gotten used to it and figure his time to shine will be when a predator comes calling. I don't have small children but if I did there's no way I would put up with an attack on them.

I free range all day every day and so far he only tries me when I get close to his gals....a swift punt across the yard and we are good for another week. I don't really care for it but I have no doubt that he would give his life to save the rest of them....and that's why he's still here. Just my $.02

So sorry, I thought I responded to you already and now I can't find it! So just recently they started actually scaring me haha I carry a stick around and a few of them have gotten it. We recently moved and are living in a wooded area and they did awesome free ranging at first until a couple different nights they ended up in the trees and not the coop which worried me and then one roo started attacking my kids so we fenced them in. Now I feel 5 roosters to 10 Hens is too many and may stress my Hens out. I don't want plucked, anxious Hens. So.. next question.. have you eaten rooster before?

 

[SamCO]

We just ate our first cockerel that we butchered due to being aggressive with our children (we’ve now killed two.) he was about 8 months old.

What shocked me was the color of the meat when I went to cook him. So dark. I cooked him in the crock pot all day, with onions and herbs, then pulled out all the bones, shredded the meat and made bbq sandwiches. The whole family thought it tasted good. The kids didn’t know they ate him until about a month later, when they asked when we were going to cook him. Already did and he was yummy! they were not amused, but got over it quickly. They haven’t asked again about our other one that is still in the freezer.

I had never culled or butchered anything. It was a steep learning curve, but by watching videos, I was able to get it done. I preferred doing it myself to sending him off to an uncertain end. Good luck with whatever you choose, but no bird is worth risking your children. They deserve to stay safe, and to enjoy interacting with the birds.

 

[mossyoakpro]

So sorry, I thought I responded to you already and now I can't find it! So just recently they started actually scaring me haha I carry a stick around and a few of them have gotten it. We recently moved and are living in a wooded area and they did awesome free ranging at first until a couple different nights they ended up in the trees and not the coop which worried me and then one roo started attacking my kids so we fenced them in. Now I feel 5 roosters to 10 Hens is too many and may stress my Hens out. I don't want plucked, anxious Hens. So.. next question.. have you eaten rooster before?

I have not...I gave my accidental cockerel to a neighbor. Turns out he's not very nice either. There are several folks on here that I'm sure have dined on their aggressive fowl before.

 

[Yardmom]

I would not describe older roos as being a gamey taste. They are just a little tougher than a really young bird. They of course do not have solution added either. Just use a slower cooking method. I roast ours. Crock pots and pressure cookers will help tenderize even more.

 

[Folly's place]

They will 'taste like chicken', actual chicken, not those poor six week old Cornishx at the grocery store!
And this cockerel will move up the ladder, from attacking short people, to taller folks, and never give up. Small brains, big testicles, not a lot of learning space, when he thinks attacking the folks who bring food is a good idea! Also, while stalking humans, he's not looking out for actual danger.
Raising cockerels in a mixed age flock often is best, the hens, and adult rooster, make them eat humble pie, which is a very good thing.
We've had nasty boys, and only keep the nice ones!
Foxes are very good at what they do, only rarely will a bird win against one. The rooster's job is to alert for danger, and may or may not die during an attack.
Mary