Should I Install A Heat Lamp?

[ClareScifi]

Thanks, SarahJane, but I'm a weakling and a wimp, and the thought of holding my boy upside down like that is just terrifying to me. I'd never be able to manage it. I would freak out and think he was dying. And with my luck, something would go wrong, a freak accident, and I'd kill him while trying to help him. I just know it. And I can't talk anyone else around here into doing it for me, either.

So I made the decision to leave the poop alone and just try for as much warmth as possible with the snow insulation in front of the door, in hopes that sleeping on their poop a few nights won't kill them. I couldn't smell an ammonia odor, so that's good. It's still not very warm in there, but better than nothing.

I wish I could help my boy with Vaseline, but I just know it would end in disaster. I am a Fraidy Cat. And he knows it. I do wonder whether he might have a heart problem, because his comb was light purple near the back all summer. I tend to think that is because his comb is so huge (he's half white leghorn, and I'm not sure what his other half is-- perhaps Buff Orpington, or perhaps Aracauna). It is probably hard for the roosters with large combs like that to get good circulation.

I also wondered, whether, if he has poor circulation in his comb, the heat lamp might burn him, and he wouldn't feel it until it was too late? Lots of issues to consider here.

I hate this cold weather. It sure makes me a nervous wreck, worrying about the chickens! One good thing, though. It's harder for the rooster to attack me. He thinks about it, but he's a Prissy Boy who hates getting his feet cold on the snow. :>) So he tends to keep his distance, and I can put warm water in the waterer and go a lot nearer him than I can in the summer, if I take a careful path through heavy snow, which he won't navigate. It's nice not having to have a fence between me and my pretty boy. In the good weather, there must be a barricade, or he'll get me. Oh, he thinks about it these cold days, but it's not worth the effort to him. HAHA. And I always wear heavy gloves, just in case he decides to try to crane his neck and get at me that way.

Poor Baby. I love him, but he's a Brat.

 

[SarahJaneB]

Everytime I go into the coop now I carry a stick and when one of the boys try to charge and run into the stick ( not for hitting ) but when they run at me i just point the stick at them and it stops them. Normally they don't run at me though since I'm usually the one that spends the most time in there. They usually go after my other family members.

 

[my sunwolf]

Oh man. If you can't get to him to put Vaseline and are too scared to hold him, just let him be. He'll be fine in that coop with all the ladies to huddle with. Or if he isn't, just let him get frostbite. I don't quite understand your attachment to this incredibly mean rooster. If it were me, he'd be chicken soup.

 

[ClareScifi]

He is a very intelligent, beautiful rooster, and he treats his hens very well. I raised him from a tiny chick. His StepMama and brothers nearly pecked him to death. I had to raise him inside last winter. We were very best buddies until his hormones hit, and then his whole personality changed. From a sweet little chick who would sit and sing atop my head and play tag with me, running gleefully with his head down, to an attack monster. Still, after all the time and energy I invested in caring for him, it would be stupid to end his life and eat him. Not at all worth it. I'd much rather enjoy his beauty and his cute personality with the hens, from a distance. He is very good to his girls, and they love him. When he became a teen, his StepMama took to him, and they are very good buds now. If I killed him to eat him, we'd all be grieving.

 

[ClareScifi]

And I wouldn't say he's incredibly mean. Just a typical rooster, defending his flock from humans. His babysitter was able to keep him in line when I was on vacation, but I don't have enough dominance in my personality to do that.

 

[ClareScifi]

And perhaps I should add that I have no children (biological) of my own, through no fault of my own He is my boy.

 

[ClareScifi]

By the way, my avatar is a picture of him when he was a little chick. Wasn't he a cutie-pie?! His spurs are long now! He is now going on 16 months.

 

[aggiemae]

Frostbite is caused by DAMP cold air. Double combed birds are much more prone. Are you sure your coop has enough ventilation? One square foot per bird is optimal. I know it sounds like alot but even when it's freezing out chickens give off a great deal of heat and steam when they sleep.

As for handling your roo. I am not sure if someone else mentioned this but try getting him at night when he's asleep. Hanging them upside down will not hurt them and always works with hens but some roos don't get calmed by this but they are fairly docile when aroused at night. Just make sure you have the oil or what ever opened and ready to use before you fetch him.

Bottom line is that you are smarter than a chicken and you know whats best for him!

 

[ClareScifi]

He is like a child to me. I have no biological children of my own. Wish I could catch him at night, but I am just not up to it. He's started coming toward me when I try to fill up his feeders at night. He used to peacefully stay on his perch at night, but he has a lot of testosterone. I could never hold him upside down. He's huge, and I have very poor muscle strength.

 

[my sunwolf]

Living in fear of a creature that weighs less than you is a valid lifestyle decision. But what kind of advice did you expect to get by posting here?? If you wanted to be told that you should continue doing everything the same way as before, then that's what I'll tell you now: keep doing what you've been doing.