Sdwd

[speckledhen]

So far, it's unanimous, then. I'm so bummed because he's such a great rooster, easy to handle and seems very attached to me. I wonder how long he'll last out there. Hate having to let him go, but I don't want him miserable and lonely, either. Guess he could surprise us and turn around, but I am not holding out much hope for that.

 

[NellaBean]

Where do you think he would be happier? Alone or with his girls? I know we get attached, but roosters seem to know their single purpose in life.....to take care of their girls. he would be devastated if you kept him separate. They are "programmed" to die for their girls....and although we expect if to only happen against a predator, in this case the weather is the predator. But I would let him stay with his girls and serve his purpose.

 

[halo]

I think he's likely to be more stressed being separated. Tough tough call. He is, after all, a rooster, and will be til the end. Id put him with his girls and make him happy.

 

[NellaBean]

My little mottled cochin rooster can't handle being separate from his ladies. I have had to separate him a few times now for various reasons. He gets SO DEPRESSED. One time he had given up.....I literally had to spend time with him, like a child, hold him on my lap, and let him run around the yard with hens supervised a couple times a day, until he turned around. He would just sit in the corner in the dark part of the cage all day. So sad.

 

[speckledhen]

I have talked to Ladyhawk as well and she concurs with all of you. I also emailed Janet Holtman and she thinks it may be an air sac or heart issue, just from what the situation is and how he's acting. I know Ike-he's all about those girls. They are his reason for living, as it should be with a good flock rooster. Crap. This sucks. LH thinks I should bring him inside for the night and baby him before letting him go back to the flock, but honestly, I think I want to do what Isaac would want more than what I would want. He needs his girls. I may put him back in with them later in the day when it's cooler and close to roost time. He'd be happier sleeping with his harem, even if it's for the last time. He may surprise me and hang in there, but if not, then he was at least where he wanted to be.



Pictures of Isaac, wondering why he wasn't allowed in with his girls today:

 

[Cetawin]

Oh my dear friend

the suggestion to bring him tonight and spoil him with loves was a suggestion for you...I know how hard this is going to be on you. I think for Ike and what he would want....put him in the coop tonight in his usual roost spot with his girls and then let the Creator decide. As I said on the phone, I would rather see him die doing what Ike wants to do as opposed to what we humans generally wish to do...help.

If he were here....had he come to live with me and this was happening, I would put him back this evening at roost time with a kiss and a "I love you".


Ike could not live separated from those girls and I would never want you or Tom to have to put him down....this is Ike's fight Cyn, you have helped all you can now it is up to him and the Creator.

Loves to you my friend.

 

[speckledhen]

We put all the girls inside already, put up the screen barricade between the two sides and I'm fogging that entire laying flock with oxine, just in case anyone else is having an issue. We also put Georgie and Caroline back in there to enjoy the clean air bath. Isaac is in the original 8x8 side where he usually roosts, just alone, but he can see them just fine. Not sure what tomorrow will hold, but one way or another, he will be back with his girls. The next few days should be cooler and less humid so maybe that will help everyone.


ETA: If Isaac passes away and I still have his son, Ranger, I think I may just put Ranger in the main laying flock and leave Rex, my BR, where he is, separate with his own girls for the time being. I don't care about getting fertile eggs from the main flock anyway, so doesn't matter if their rooster is a mixed breed. He can alarm as well as his father can-if he's half the rooster Isaac is, he'll be awesome. If I do that, I may also move Nugget back into the laying flock with Ranger, since she raised him.

 

[kathyinmo]

Just got home from work. I have been wondering how Isaac is doing all night!

 

[speckledhen]

Isaac is still with us. His crow sounded good this morning! He wasn't after the girls much this morning like he normally is-maybe he realizes it wouldn't be a good thing, smart boy that he is. This long protracted period of high humidity has created what I'm 100% positive now is a fungal infection in several and Isaac may be just the worst one because of his high energy job of roostering; maybe it isn't a heart issue, specifically. Caroline sounds much better, Georgie is still not breathing well, and now Gypsy sounds odd (she was perfect yesterday). Thank the Lord it isn't something contagious! That would be too much to bear.

Tom has to take my son to the airport in Knoxville tomorrow night to go to Korea so when he gets back, we'll be buying numerous bags of shavings and a couple bales of straw and doing complete cleanouts of all coops, spraying floors, walls and nests with Oxine and putting down all new materials. We haven't done a complete cleanout for quite some time and there is a layer of complete dust underneath some areas that I believe has spores that have caused this--life has just been on top of us with the horrible weather and my son being here. The ones who are having the worst trouble in the heat or are molting are the most affected by this because their resistance was down.

 

[kathyinmo]

Oh boy, you have a big job to do. I find that to be one of the biggest jobs ..... coop clean outs. Nice when it is all done though. Good luck with that. Hope all turns out well in the end.