ana2707
In the Brooder
- Oct 3, 2015
- 47
- 0
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I have 5 hens and 2 roosters. I ended up with 2 roosters on accident. I have heard the hen to rooster ratio but being that I raised them from chicks I was too attached to get rid of them and they were so sweet when they were young. As they have matured they have been taking a toll on my hens... Plucking their feathers out... It makes my hens looks awful. I'm not sure if they are doing this in competition with eachother or if that's just how roosters are but I decided the more dominant rooster had to get out of the coop today. I have tried to rehome him multiple times but no one has taken him. Today I let him out to free range in hopes that he would hang around. I put a dog carrier next to coop with straw in it for him. I went out to check on him as sun went down and he was trying to get in coop and it broke my heart to have him struggling and wanting to be with the others. After sun went down I went to check on him again and he was not in the carrier I left for him, of course, he was on top of the coop which seems super dangerous to me because of predators. I assumed he would go up in the trees to roost. Anyway.... I am feeling super guilty about kicking him out the coop but I have to do what's best for my laying hens. I guess my question is... Is it okay to let him free range alone? I feel as if I am neglecting him of protection. Maybe I'm just an overly emotional chicken mom
And if it is okay to allow him to free range alone, how can I get him to go in dog carrier I left for him at night?
