Rooster Question

[quiet1]

Hey, my first thread... SWEET!!! Anyways, I have a question, and can't seem to find an answer. My rooster wonders away from my hens, really far away. He travels to the neighbors, and deep in the woods. Tonight I had to go in the woods and chase him out of a tree he was roosting in, so he would go back to the coop. We have a lot of snakes where I live, so I won't be going in there again, he will be on his own. My question is why doesn't he stay with the hens? Aren't they supposed too? Do I need to replace him for a rooster more suited for the job? We really like our rooster, but I am not going to spend money a another worthless animal, we have enough of those here already. Thanks for reading, any help would be appreciated.

 

[Gargoyle]

Welcome to BYC!

How old is your rooster? How long have you had him? Did you get him the same time as the hens, or more recently?

 

[quiet1]

I got him Friday, and got the hens last Wednesday. All of them are used to free ranging, so I let them yesterday for the first time here. The rooster wondered, but came back on his own, and they all put themselves back in the coop. Today though, he wondered again, and decided to roost in the woods. He is about 6 months old according to the people I got him from. He is a white faced black spanish. Should I keep him in the coop and just let the hens out for a few more days? He had at least 10 acres to roam where I got him from, maybe thats why he wonders so far. He has already bonded with my Americauna hen, and won't let any of the others roost with them. I thought she would at least keep him around.

 

[Attila the Hen]

I'm no expert but I would get him and the hens to relate you to food so that when they see you they want to be near you to see if you have food. I would make sure that connection is clear before you let them out too long. Then I would go out before their bedtime and entice them all in with food. Until that is clear to them I would keep them in the coop and only let them out when you are there. Have treats handy at all times.
I am sure he will get idea and sleep with them but better sooner rather than later or you won't have a rooster.

 

[quiet1]

I will try keeping him in the coop, what about the hens? They already follow me around, but not too far from the coop. I only let them out when I am home, so I can keep an eye on them. Will keeping him cooped up stress him out a lot, since he has been free ranging for so long?

 

[HouseCat]

He wanders because he doesn't feel that your home is his home or the hens as his hens, yet. Alot of people will keep new birds in an enclosure for the first few weeks until their brain is rewired to think the new coop is home. He really isn't wandering away from your home, he's most likely trying to get back to his old home.

 

[quiet1]

That makes sense, I didn't think of it that way. Thanks everyone for the fast responses. This is our first time keeping chickens, and we have learned a lot from this site. I had read to keep them in the coop for a few weeks, but when I asked the people we got them from, they both said just a couple of days. All well, I will wait a couple weeks, and see how it goes. Thanks again everyone!

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Agree with the cooping him up, but it doesn't have to take weeks, usually under a week locked in is enough...I do 3 days. Yours may be different.

 

[katescountryfarm]

I would lock them up together then let them free range when ready.