Should he stay or should he go?

[SFlChicks]

A beautiful Roo wandered into our yard on Thursday. He met our 3 girls through the fence and it went ok for while, then our Welsummer, Maddie, fought with him. She pecked at him through the links and even drew blood. Maddie knocked him down twice which, in all honesty, was kind of funny.

I used to worry about predators in the yard. Apparently Maddie knows HER turf.

I digress. Easy to do with Peep stories.

We thought the Roo had moved on, then this morning my neighbor came over to tell me one of the girls was in his yard. Um, nope. It was the Roo. I tried to get him to move across the street to a vacant fenced property but that was futile. You can't herd chickens. Or roosters.

I decided to feed him in our front yard for 2 reasons. Most importantly, I wanted him to stay away from the backyard. Every time the girls see him they sound the alarm. Secondly, I was hoping if he hung out in the front yard his owners would come looking for him.

He was VERY hungry and followed me and the dish of food.

Well, he is now sleeping in the dog crate in our garage. He has food and water and seems very content given that he's asleep.

I've posted on my FB page as well as a local forum and there has been NO response. So my question to my community of crazy chicken friends is: should he stay or should he go? Any chance of he and Maddie getting along? What about his rooster claw? I really have NO desire to raise chicks and we can't really create a separate living space for him. How do I safely find a new home for him?

He is really pretty, docile, friendly, lets me pick him up... ugh... I think I'm snookered!

 

[Judy]

If you decide to keep him, chances are that Maddie and the others will adjust to his presence in time. The rooster claw (or spur) can be trimmed if needed; check our learning center. Roosters do serve other purposes than making chicks. A good roo keeps the hens in line, watches for predators, even will chase them to safety and sacrifice himself in the face of a predator. Some people feel their flocks do better with a roo and wouldn't be without one, and some feel they do fine without. Just as some like to hear crowing and some don't. If you don't have a roo, the dominant hen can become so roo-like that she stops laying, anyway. It's really up to you.

I haven't had a roo for a year or so, and I miss the crowing and strutting, and some of the other behaviors, like calling the girls for treats and giving them to the girls. It's nice not having any bare spots or saddles on the hens, though. One of my hens now mounts the others and sometimes fights them. I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't quit laying.

Usually you can give a roo away on Craig's list or even get a few dollars for him. Sometimes they handle them at feed stores. Of course, those roos often become supper.

 

[Cluky]

He is a beautiful boy I would say keep if you can have roos around. They will figure out the pecking order. I just cannot get over how beautiful of a boy he is...

 

[SFlChicks]

My husband said I should get too attached. Too late. I made treats for the girls yesterday so I gave him some this morning. He definitely has an appetite and went straight to his water dish when I refilled it.

We put a roost in the cage for him. I didn't think of it yesterday. He is very interested in my husband (who secured the roost and was refilling the food bin this morning).

He (the roo, not my husband) is so friendly and likes to be pet. I interpreted his "Cook-a-doodle-doo" as "Thank YOUUUUUUU" for breakfast.

I will look at the section on trimming the claw and see if it's something we can handle. Thanks for the help!

 

[Mattemma]

If he is nice to you and the girls keep him.

 

[norabell10]

keep him if u can pick him up he will never give you trouble he may be young so the girls will boss for awhile but I love my rooster and will too good luck

 

[roostersandhens]

Wow he is beutiful! I think he is a keeper! He looks like a BO rooster.
I have 2 roosters and some hens. One of the hens hated the roosters at first they fought.
Eventually (after about a week) they begin to get along.
My roosters often save the girls from hawks and I am glad I have them!
I would keep him as long as his true owner does not want him. He seems very pretty!
Good Luck!

 

[farmer boy]

i would keep him he is beautiful and if u can pick him up and he is docile i would keep him around .. your hens would get used to him the pecking is just showing whos boss around the yard and u wont get chicks if you don't let your hens go broody he will just make the eggs fertilized thats it and if u want to get a hen to stop sitting on the eggs put a cold egg from the fridge under her and she will stay off of it

 

[Bush Chickens]

he is SOOOO pretty!

please keep him!

 

[SFlChicks]

Well, we have been adopted by one rooster

I call him "Chico" and my husband calls him "Henry". We introduced him to our girls this morning. He and Maddie went at each other but since we were expecting it, we intervened with no major harm to either one. Millie and Hattie could care less about him being around, and our dog, Lacy, herded Chico when she thought he was getting too close.

We haven't left him alone in the yard. We still let him leave when he is ready and he wanders a couple of houses away, then comes back to rest under one of our trees. We can't fully determine if he has a home or not. When he shows up he is really hungry and thirsty so I am prone to think his previous owners may have moved away.