suzrwin
Chirping
I have 12 chickens--6 1 1/2 yo layers; 5- 6 month old pullets and an "accidental" 6 month old splash ameracauna cockerel. He is human friendly, and generally flock friendly. Totally mixed flocked. All laying except several layers are in molt.
Coop is 12x9 with a suspended roof and ceiling is entirely open (although encased in hardware cloth), so good ventilation. There is a separate 9x9 covered run with roosts, winter dust bath, flock block. They also have a rotating fenced in free-range area that is grassy, which is approx 500 sq ft at any one time. We move the fencing frequently. Food is Scratch & Peck grower with supplemental calcium and grit; treats include appropriate kitchen scraps, soldier fly larvae etc, flock blocks etc.
4 weeks ago I found my Easter Egger layer with bloody neck and lower scalp, defeathered, huddled in a coop nest box. I stuck her in our chicken tractor hospital for 4 weeks, and she has healed brilliantly. She even finished up her molt and started laying again. This tractor is located in the middle of the free range area, so she has always been "with" her flock mates. Last Friday I started letting her out in the middle of the day, and it has gone very very well. Her female flock mates have welcomed her back with no issues. The cockerel is another story. He attacks her whenever she is close, going after her with spurs and beak. She will even crouch submissively, and he will still have at her. It is clearly not a mating thing.
I have been returning her to the tractor at night, but I'm frustrated. She is worth more to me than a rooster I never really wanted in the first place. However, he has been a fine rooster except for this one chicken.
Is there ANY hope that he could come around? Like I said, he is 100% fine with humans and all of the other chickens. Should I give it another week or two (returning her to the tractor at night). Or is it pointless, and I should just cut my losses, cull him, and move on?
Coop is 12x9 with a suspended roof and ceiling is entirely open (although encased in hardware cloth), so good ventilation. There is a separate 9x9 covered run with roosts, winter dust bath, flock block. They also have a rotating fenced in free-range area that is grassy, which is approx 500 sq ft at any one time. We move the fencing frequently. Food is Scratch & Peck grower with supplemental calcium and grit; treats include appropriate kitchen scraps, soldier fly larvae etc, flock blocks etc.
4 weeks ago I found my Easter Egger layer with bloody neck and lower scalp, defeathered, huddled in a coop nest box. I stuck her in our chicken tractor hospital for 4 weeks, and she has healed brilliantly. She even finished up her molt and started laying again. This tractor is located in the middle of the free range area, so she has always been "with" her flock mates. Last Friday I started letting her out in the middle of the day, and it has gone very very well. Her female flock mates have welcomed her back with no issues. The cockerel is another story. He attacks her whenever she is close, going after her with spurs and beak. She will even crouch submissively, and he will still have at her. It is clearly not a mating thing.
I have been returning her to the tractor at night, but I'm frustrated. She is worth more to me than a rooster I never really wanted in the first place. However, he has been a fine rooster except for this one chicken.
Is there ANY hope that he could come around? Like I said, he is 100% fine with humans and all of the other chickens. Should I give it another week or two (returning her to the tractor at night). Or is it pointless, and I should just cut my losses, cull him, and move on?
