Rooster Only Flock

[EdnaAndEdith]

I've only ever been without a rooster for a period of two months. I had sold my old broodcock and replaced him with a young cockerel that hadn't begun to mate or crow yet

The very next day there was a random white Leghorn in the middle of my property wooing the females. He had travelled though hundreds of feet of dense, dangerous swampland to find the females where he knew a mature male was now absent. It took hours for me to capture the Leghorn, but thanks to his color I was able to eventually catch him, which is actually the exact reason I don't keep white chickens. Much higher rates of predation

Anyways, after removing the Leghorn from my property over the next month I had a handful of females leave, again traversing through hundreds of feet of dense swampland filled with predators, to join the neighboring flock that does have roosters

So I have direct personal evidence that chickens both male and female will risk their lives and travel quite far to find mates

One could say the exact same thing about human prisoners- "the only form of life enjoyment they are missing out on is reproduction. They have every other opportunity to express their needs and desires in a very natural way."

I would personally rather be dead than do a life sentence in prison, regardless of the presence or absence of females. However I suppose this is a personal decision for each individual

It's possible that your chickens can find happiness under such circumstances, but if they aren't happy I'm sure they'll express it through violence and other anti-social behaviors

Typically roosters fight quite ferociously over resources

I agree that the considerations are deeply personal and individual to the situation and the individual creature -human or chicken or anything else.

Thank you for your alternative view. I will base my care choices on the individuals involved with consideration of their needs and continue to adapt their world to best fit their individual needs to the best possible, most responsible outcome.

Good luck with your flock!

 

[WoDia]

Human males do the same in prison. The only question I raise is whether it's ethical or not to keep animals in the equivalent of a human prison

Humans commit crimes before they're sentenced to do time in a box, with other males, away from the vision of females. This is universally understood as a punishment for commiting evil

It’s not unethical to separate 2 fighting roosters temporarily in order to regain some peace in the flock… especially if one of them is being harrassed constantly. I use a large wire dog crate to separate an aggressor until he calms down. There’s nothing wrong with doing that, BECAUSE it’s only temporary. It works well for my all-rooster flock. And, there are no long-term negative effects on any of my boys. The ethical and responsible solution (when one CHOOSES to own an all-rooster flock) is to intervene and make decisions for the well-being of every member of the flock.

 

[RaesChicks]

I don’t have experience with roosters but I’ve been following posts for a while now and I’ve noticed when a hen gets carried away establishing dominance in an all female flock they are often separated until they can be reintroduced without bullying. I am wondering if that approach wouldn’t be possible here. You have been securing Murphy for his rehabilitation and safety, what if instead you put Moe in the box when he is being aggressive? I personally think it’s faulty reasoning to associate human emotions and motives to animals, they do have their own behaviors and motivations and drives but they don’t have higher order thinking and reasoning. It’s instinct, they are smart but they are still birds. If every time one starts fights they have a cooling off period perhaps it could help, it often works with dogs. If not maybe consider partial removal or padding of their spurs so that it limits the amount of damage they can do to each other.

Just my thoughts. Hope things improve.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

If not maybe consider partial removal or padding of their spurs so that it limits the amount of damage they can do to each other.

Good idea, but never remove the spurs entirely because that will cause the rooster to bleed out－and remember to not trim the part of the spur which has the quick (where the blood is inside). Look at images to know where the quick is and how far you should trim spurs. If you are able to catch the roosters, then you can put a wrapping of something soft on the tips of their spurs.

 

[triciayoung]

I think it is great, the time and effort you are putting into making this work. My chickens are a part of my family. I have 3-roosters, The bantam is with a few hens, but the other two are togethers in their rooster only coop/run. It was more difficult when they were younger, but now, they are almost 2, and get along well.

https://opensanctuary.org/rooster-flock/

https://thefrugalchicken.com/bachel..._All_Get_Along_Is_There_Still_a_Pecking_Order

 

[triciayoung]

Human males do the same in prison. The only question I raise is whether it's ethical or not to keep animals in the equivalent of a human prison

Humans commit crimes before they're sentenced to do time in a box, with other males, away from the vision of females. This is universally understood as a punishment for commiting evil

First, I would like to ask if it is ethical for the hatching industry to kill 2 million baby boy chicks a DAY, by throwing the into a grinder alive - just because they are boys. This is not hyperbole - it is a fact.

Specific to your post - any chicken, male or female for most on this site are kept "captive". And those of us that do not free range at all, do so to protect our chickens from predation. My experience with roosters is that they have two modes 1.) Roosters with a job to do; protector, provider and mate for/with hens and 2.) Away from hens, pets with intelligence, empathy and the ability to have relationships with people and other roosters - like a dog.

I will tell you that my rooster that is with his hens in his flock is no happier than my roosters that are in their rooster only flock. My roosters in the rooster only flock come out in the main run when I put the hens away and we play together and they get walnuts or pecans, and we talk, and then I sing to them when they go to bed. They are very respected and treated well. Therefore, you will never convince me they are better off dead.

 

[triciayoung]

It’s not unethical to separate 2 fighting roosters temporarily in order to regain some peace in the flock… especially if one of them is being harrassed constantly. I use a large wire dog crate to separate an aggressor until he calms down. There’s nothing wrong with doing that, BECAUSE it’s only temporary. It works well for my all-rooster flock. And, there are no long-term negative effects on any of my boys. The ethical and responsible solution (when one CHOOSES to own an all-rooster flock) is to intervene and make decisions for the well-being of every member of the flock.

I agree with you @WoDia. I also read an article, I believe here, where someone did the opposite for bullying - with either roosters or hens. Where they put the one being bullied into the wire crate - instead of the bully and had a lot of success.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I was kind of thinking along those lines. I’m going to go to the hardware store and see what they have. But I was worried that the boys would be able to see too much through the fabric style. Here’s an example picture.


View attachment 3766447

I have something similar around my entire run and chicken yard to keep my heeler from trying to herd the chickens back and forth, lol, the front part worked so good and looked so nice that I ordered more and did the whole kit and kaboodle. They make them custom sized as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096ND9ZWP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[triciayoung]

I have something similar around my entire run and chicken yard to keep my heeler from trying to herd the chickens back and forth, lol, the front part worked so good and looked so nice that I ordered more and did the whole kit and kaboodle. They make them custom sized as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096ND9ZWP?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I use the same product

 

[WoDia]

I agree with you @WoDia. I also read an article, I believe here, where someone did the opposite for bullying - with either roosters or hens. Where they put the one being bullied into the wire crate - instead of the bully and had a lot of success.

I’m glad you pointed this out @triciayoung. There are times when one of my boys gets bullied, and he will willingly run into the crate. They learn to associate that area with safety. And while they’re inside, the bad boy loses interest, finding something else to do. So, I agree that it can diffuse the situation both ways.