Roosters in the Woods

[Evadig]

There’s two roosters in the woods near our house. Some neighbors have a rooster but they’re at least a couple miles away. Do you think these guys just got lost or were they abandoned? How would I go about catching them? They’re very skittish.
Would the hens’ cackling attract them to the house?

 

[Tonyroo]

If your hens cackle is loud enough they will check them out.

Other option is to locate and observe there movements near dusk. See where they roost and grab them at night. But you will need a second person with you to hold the flashlight and maybe bring a ladder.

 

[Evadig]

The roosters were crowing a little while ago and then one of my hens started singing the egg song for almost ten minutes straight even though she’s not laying right now because she’s in molt. Do you think she’s trying to call them and would they be able to hear each other? The roosters are about 1/4 mile away.

 

[Evadig]

They’re living in a huge tangle of thornbushes, but I was able to get within three feet of one.

 

[Nabiki]

What is it with roosters in the woods? Do people abandon them? I have never had chickens, but apparently I have a young rooster now. He was found in the woods.

 

[WoDia]

They’re probably attracted to the sounds of your chickens and found their way into the area. If they’re really skittish, perhaps you may be able to lure them in by offering little piles of treats…. placing the piles closer to your house each time. What to do next…. good question, since once you catch them, you’ll want to quarantine before introducing them to your flock. I really may not be any help to you, BUT I’ve had a few of my own ornery roosters I had to catch with a large, long-handled fishing net because the ornery boys refused to go inside at the end of the day.

 

[Evadig]

I have two unused chicken coops so I could keep them in those. If they’re good roosters I’ll probably keep them but I only have seven chickens…I’ll figure something out. Right now I just have to catch them. The treat idea is good, thank you!

 

[Red Mangrove]

Roosters and hens will both travel quite far in search of each other

Last year I sold my Brahma rooster and replaced him with an immature cockerel. The very next day I had a random Leghorn rooster in the middle of my flock trying to court my hens. The Leghorn had travelled maybe 500 feet through a swamp to visit the place where he knew there was hens and no longer any rooster

I got rid of the Leghorn before he could murder my cockerel, and over the next month I had maybe 5 hens leave my land to join neighboring flocks that did have roosters. Again, these hens travelled quite far through the swamp in search of a rooster

It's impossible to keep sexually mature chickens apart without walls and a roof. The roosters in your own forest may either be abandoned there by humans or they may have adventured off to start their own flock

 

[Evadig]

Do you think perhaps they came from the people two miles down the road?

 

[Shadrach]

The roosters were crowing a little while ago and then one of my hens started singing the egg song for almost ten minutes straight even though she’s not laying right now because she’s in molt. Do you think she’s trying to call them and would they be able to hear each other? The roosters are about 1/4 mile away.

What you call the egg song is in fact a call for a rooster. It's got little to do with laying eggs as you have found out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-not-about-the-egg-it’s-an-escort-call.74386/

At a quarter of a mile away your hens can hear the roosters crowing and the roosters your hens calling.