Rooster started clucking like crazy yesterday

[Arvin]

Last week, we got a couple of hens for our six-year old roo Joy. Or was it... 5 and a half... we got him as a chick back in August if '09. Anyway... Last week, we got a couple of hens.

We live in a compound full of dogs that get periodically released (including our own), and Joy has a record of being abusive towards hens for... some reason. I dunno, maybe he's just antisocial from living alone for so long or something. So we kept them on the roof of the coop with some rope while we started work on a separate coop.

One got eaten in two days because our enterprising dog seems to have a knack for catching hens. Meanwhile, Joy seems to have a lot of animosity for him. Whenever he gets out of the coop, soon after he tires of eating grass, he'll saunter right up to the dog's cage and start cockfighting him or something.

I almost had a heart attack yesterday morning when I found the two of them outside and squaring off on my front porch! A week or so before THAT, I found the dog had somehow gotten in the coop, but for some reason hadn't eaten Joy yet. I swear, it's like the two find rivals in each other or something.

Anyway, because of that, we tried putting the hen in with Joy yesterday. All seemed quiet, until he started pecking on her again and she eventually flew out. Tied her to the branch of a relatively high tree... then Joy wouldn't shut up and went around clucking for maybe half an hour.

This morning too, he started doing that, after I put the girl (Savory) back on the roof of the coop. I don't know what he's trying to tell me. Is he being territorial? Telling her to get off his lawn? Or is he saying sorry? I don't know anymore.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[aart]

I don't understand the 'tied her to a branch'??

Can you keep the chickens safe form the dogs...or do they all just run free?

Sounds like the rooster has plenty to complain about.

 

[krista74]

I think you need to reconsider how you are keeping all of your birds and animals! The dogs and the chickens should not be mixing unless you are 100% certain that there is not going to be a confrontation.

The chickens should be housed in secure coops and runs to keep them safe from predators, and only allowed out to free range if the dogs are locked up and you are there to supervise. Tying chickens to the coop roof, or to anything else for that matter, means that if confronted they can't run to safety. They are sitting ducks, so to speak.

A good rooster will quietly lead his girls around, find them tasty treats, and mate them. When he mates, it should not be aggressive, feathers should not be torn out, and the girls should not appear traumatised. If any of this is the case, I would keep the rooster separated out in his own pen where he can't get to the girls either.

At the end of the day, chickens can only give back to you what they get in return. Put them in a safe, comfortable environment and they will reward you with eggs. Put them in an environment of fear and danger, and they won't give you anything in return.

I am sure you want to do what's best for your girls, so if it were me I would consider the best possible set up of coops and runs so that all of the birds and animals can feel safe. If they feel secure, they will be able to live side-by-side in peace.

Krista

 

[Arvin]

Yeah, we just had a larger, more secure coop built yesterday. Well it was already being planned for since the two girls came about, finally managed to get it done. All seems quiet now...

 

[krista74]

That's good then. When they all feel safe, peace will reign.

Hope things stay happy and healthy in your flock.

Best wishes,

Krista

 

[Arvin]

Thanks. I'd take a picture, but my phone is one of those old things where the camera sucks horribly. ^^;

 

[krista74]

Thanks. I'd take a picture, but my phone is one of those old things where the camera sucks horribly. ^^;

Lol, you're talking to a woman who still owns an old Nokia.

With buttons!

- Krista

 

[Arvin]

lol Yeah, I don't think I can beat that. Well my other phone still has buttons... It does come with a camera, but whoever designed it (a local brand) doesn't seem to have a good grasp of the subject, because even the first time I tried to take a picture, it said "Not enough memory".

I do have a picture of my roo from a few years back, though he was sick at the time, and I was showing it around here to see if anybody recognized the symptoms... Wasn't a fun time.