Should I evict my rooster?

[2 chiks n a roo]

I'm very curious what kind of games you play with him?!
Also, I'm not sure what "the wing thing" is? Could you or someone else explain what that means to me? And what "tidbits" do you mean? What treats? I have only used mealworms as treats and I don't give them by hand at all anymore.

We have games of tag, I've had him since he was 2 mths old.
I let him out to have a run around before breakfast, there's a tree in one corner which is hard for me to get around but he races to the corner waits and when I get near him he skips (literally) away from me. Stops, waits for me to catch up and takes off again. Then he runs after me, I stop he turns an runs away. Sometimes he stands on the tree branch I set up as a perch and laughs. It's really clear. When he does that I pick him up, walk to the gate, turn back an hold him out and let him stretch his wing flying down the other end. We do that 3 or 4 times. Then I say breakfast an he runs back to his hut for a feed.
He's such a kewl boy, huge personality and really affectionate. When I sit on his hut holding him he actually leans against me for a cuddle.

The wing thing is what they do to herd their hens, they drop it like a fan and try to make ya move. He doesn't do that to me.

For treats, mealworms here are $20 for 100grams, so I only buy them sometimes, sunflower seeds are fantastic, and uncooked rice. He loves those. Also a small bit of crumbled bread (not crumbs or big pieces, enough for him to peck and swallow) his favourite are the sunflower seeds. He loves crushed peanuts too, but I haven't been crushing them lately.

When he's having a bad or upset day (he's missing his mate) I spoil him with the seeds more than anything else. When its cold (it's winter, so its cold now) I cook them eggs, and add it to their hot mash with cayenne pepper to warm them up.
Rhodey goes nuts over his scrambled eggs

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

I've never heard of a chicken cape! That's an interesting idea. The free-range rooster doesn't belong to anyone and it doesn't mate with my hens. Also, I'm not looking for baby chicks ever. I wanted the fresh eggs and I'm very happy with the amount of eggs. I will be adding a young hen to the group in a couple of weeks and really dislike the idea that this rooster will be all over her in maybe a second!

Perhaps put a notice on Facebook asking if anyone is wanting a rooster to contact you. You're not allowed to list them for sale but I've seen people mention they have one.
It's all about your wording so if you prefer to rehome him, it's an option.

 

[2 chiks n a roo]

I don't know what breed he is. He's big and white/gray and not very attractive at least to me! I've got a plymouth rock chicken. She is the largest hen. I've got a caramel-colored Silkie (with the slipper feet), she is his favorite and Ive got a little polish hen who gets away from him more often. I'll try to find a photo of him to post

This is only my observation, and many will disagree just for the sake of it...

From my own experience, I've noticed that when you take a roosters favourite away, they get angry, depressed, all the feelings of a breakup, so rehoming him without being completely separated for a few days to a couple of weeks first, Might turn him completely.
My boy went off his food big time when I bought his mate inside because she was extremely sick and couldn't breathe. That was in may, I have to either take her out to him every few days or take him inside to see she's still there, just so he will eat properly. He eats in the morning because she was always seperated at night, but then during the day they're together. It's a mission at times, but it lets him know she's still there. He sees his daughters, through a fence, and 2 older girls which ones sick which helps him relax. It's when he has none around him that he stresses out.

 

[McChooky]

I raised 2 but after they matured I decided to keep the best one and re-home the other one. Whether you just want one rooster or none at all do what's best for your flock.I wouldn't bother with the saddles. They have to be washed and can't be left on all the time. My chickens are contained but free range everyday (1-4 hrs)so having a rooster helps.I would cage the one you have and see if the other rooster is better.Put #1 in a cage and post him online free and catch #2 and see if it's tame .If he's as mean as #1 post both of them as free

 

[koko365]

My roo is 14 mths old, he has 1 mate. Her sister had refused to let him mate with her, she wasn't laying eggs, but she passed away in February.
He mates with his hen often when she's in with him (seperated while recovering from pneumonia)
He doesn't do anything towards me but I get into his space and play games with him. He gets special treats when he's calm and nice.
Mine are semi free range, they have runs because they're not in together. My roo does the wing thing when his daughters are around, and when I take his mate outside in the sun. He's a Rhode Island Red Shaver cross, sweetest nature ever, although he hates the person who feeds them when I'm away. We just created a plan to avoid him getting to her. He's fine through a fence but I don't see the point forcing him to accept her when we can do things different.

Have you thought about putting a fence to help stop the roamer getting too close?
When my two's first son grew to 10 weeks, and was already practising his crow, his dad got agitated and possessive of his mate, he herded her more often and would drive her away from me. Once his son sold, he went back to his usual self.
Perhaps try some tidbits when you go out but do it randomly. I pop out to mine through the day and offer him treats. When he doesn't want them, I scatter them anyway and leave him alone.

What kind of games do you play with rooster or with chickens? I'd love to learn more about that.

 

[koko365]

Update:

I offered the rooster up on Craiglist and within a couple of days found someone to take him. The person has a small farm on the edge of town and has a couple of hens but no roosters (until now).

I cried that first night without him and felt sad for my hens. However the person who took my rooster was good enough to text me a photo of him in his new home and I do feel better thinking that he will have space and freedom to move around, and will have several hens to keep him happy.

However, it's been 10 or 11 days now and my hens are very sad, (I'm guessing). The 3 hens have not laid any eggs since he left. One hen has taken to brooding in her nest, but she doesn't have any eggs under her. She is a silkie and has never taken to brooding before.

Is there any advice you could give me that might cheer them up? They seem to be plucking their feathers although the feathers on their backs are starting to grow in and their backs are starting to heal now. I bought them a swing for their coop, but they haven't tried it out yet either.

There is a wild or free-range or feral rooster that stands beside their coop. I was thinking of trying to get him into the coop, but he might not want to loose his freedom.

I appreciate any advice.
Thank you.

 

[FrostRanger]

It actually sounds like they're starting to molt rather than that they're sad. I'd up protein to 20% if you don't feed that already to support their molt. As for the silkie, do you want more chicks rn? If so let her hatch a few chicks if not, break her broodiness by putting her in broody jail for a few days. As for eggs, you're going to have to be patient on that as birds don't lay much, if at all while molting and we're heading into winter so they may not lay very much until spring. Could changing flock dynamics affect egg laying? Absolutely, but this would have happened anyways as it's about that time

 

[koko365]

Thank you so much for that info! I usually feed them Nutrina nature wise plus grit and oyster shell and Organic chicken treats, plus they get shredded collard greens and various fruit and raisins.... sometimes scratch or oatmeal, etc.

What is broody jail? I tried to get her out of the basket, but she protested quite a lot. She doesn't have any eggs underneath her. Should I just take her out of the basket? It's located inside the chicken "house" which is attached via a sort of hallway to the outside coop. Its a really big basket maybe two feet around and all three hens were taking turns using it. I have since put a second smaller basket in the chicken house in case the other two hens might need a place to lay.

I was used to getting one or two eggs each day or every other day although sometimes they would surprise me with three eggs in a day. There have been zero eggs since Rooster left. I just assumed this was the reason why.

My 3 hens turned 1year old this July.

I didn't know that they may not lay much during the fall or winter. I'm in Florida so September is just another August here with temperatures into the 90s. I would have expected molting to happen maybe come late October. (That's partly a question).

Broody jail?

 

[McChooky]

Update:

I offered the rooster up on Craiglist and within a couple of days found someone to take him. The person has a small farm on the edge of town and has a couple of hens but no roosters (until now).

I cried that first night without him and felt sad for my hens. However the person who took my rooster was good enough to text me a photo of him in his new home and I do feel better thinking that he will have space and freedom to move around, and will have several hens to keep him happy.

However, it's been 10 or 11 days now and my hens are very sad, (I'm guessing). The 3 hens have not laid any eggs since he left. One hen has taken to brooding in her nest, but she doesn't have any eggs under her. She is a silkie and has never taken to brooding before.

Is there any advice you could give me that might cheer them up? They seem to be plucking their feathers although the feathers on their backs are starting to grow in and their backs are starting to heal now. I bought them a swing for their coop, but they haven't tried it out yet either.

There is a wild or free-range or feral rooster that stands beside their coop. I was thinking of trying to get him into the coop, but he might not want to loose his freedom.

I appreciate any advice.
Thank you.

Under no circumstances should you add this feral rooster to your flock of 3 hens. They're just starting to grow new feathers and aren't laying yet. Molting is painful to chickens and they won't mate this rooster willingly. If you want to rescue the feral rooster then do so but give him a separate place o roost and a separate run. You need to raise some chicks to laying age or buy some pullets if you plan on adding this rooster .3 hens isn't enough.

 

[koko365]

Under no circumstances should you add this feral rooster to your flock of 3 hens. They're just starting to grow new feathers and aren't laying yet. Molting is painful to chickens and they won't mate this rooster willingly. If you want to rescue the feral rooster then do so but give him a separate place o roost and a separate run. You need to raise some chicks to laying age or buy some pullets if you plan on adding this rooster .3 hens isn't enough.

I live in a city and I'm only allowed to own 4 backyard chickens. I have 3 hens that have been laying eggs since February. I also have a young chicken that will be joining the other 3 soon. It was a tiny chick that two little boys brought to my back door which they found unattended.

I just thought my hens were upset without the rooster they had known all their lives. Maybe another rooster would cheer them up.

It's really a joy to go into the coop without being afraid of that big rooster that always scared me a bit.