- Jun 17, 2014
- 27
- 6
- 74
A very bedraggled rooster appeared in our front yard this morning. He was sleeping next to our border collie, Trouble, on the front lawn. (Trouble typically sleeps inside, but stayed out all night last night - I'm hoping he's not a culprit). We happened to have a cage with hay in it on our front porch (we were preparing it for another animal, but Mystery Rooster seemed a bit more urgent). My husband picked him up with only a little bit of effort to catch him. (We had put Trouble inside the house by that point). We put him in the cage and put in a bar for a roost and feed and water. We didn't notice any obvious injury but he seemed wobbly and his wings were hanging limply by his side. His eyes were red. I even went back to check because I hadn't noticed red eyes in any of our chickens. It was a red eye with black pupil. We covered the cage with a blanket (with one side left open) since it's not too hot today.
After a few hours, he seemed a bit better. He had moved around a bit and his wings weren't drooping. He didn't seem to be eating so I put some live mealworms in a jar lid and put those inside the cage as well. I noticed that there seemed to be a small bit of blood near his wing, but it wasn't large or a lot.
I just checked on him again and he still doesn't appear to be eating. Even the wiggling mealworms are still there. His feathers look like he was dropped in water - the are matted and bedraggled (I'm not sure how else to describe them - they seem to clump together like wet hair would if left to dry). His eyes have turned from red to orange. The edges of his comb are black.
I can't find the owner. I live in the country and our road has a facebook group so we can contact neighbors quickly if needed. Nobody is missing their rooster. I can't imagine Trouble going onto someone else's property and finding a rooster after dark that wasn't in a pen. However, if any chicken wandered onto our property, I can see him bringing the chicken back to our house. (Twice we've had chickens escape the pen and he's either herded them back into their yard or carried the chicken - unharmed - to us).
Any thoughts as to what I can do? He is on our porch for the moment. If I end up keeping him for longer than a few days, I would like to move him to an outdoors set up but don't want to put him in with our chickens. How far away from our birds would be considered safe? Is there anything I can offer that he might find interesting to eat? He is laying down near the food/water containers, so I'm hoping he's eating and I just haven't seen him.
After a few hours, he seemed a bit better. He had moved around a bit and his wings weren't drooping. He didn't seem to be eating so I put some live mealworms in a jar lid and put those inside the cage as well. I noticed that there seemed to be a small bit of blood near his wing, but it wasn't large or a lot.
I just checked on him again and he still doesn't appear to be eating. Even the wiggling mealworms are still there. His feathers look like he was dropped in water - the are matted and bedraggled (I'm not sure how else to describe them - they seem to clump together like wet hair would if left to dry). His eyes have turned from red to orange. The edges of his comb are black.
I can't find the owner. I live in the country and our road has a facebook group so we can contact neighbors quickly if needed. Nobody is missing their rooster. I can't imagine Trouble going onto someone else's property and finding a rooster after dark that wasn't in a pen. However, if any chicken wandered onto our property, I can see him bringing the chicken back to our house. (Twice we've had chickens escape the pen and he's either herded them back into their yard or carried the chicken - unharmed - to us).
Any thoughts as to what I can do? He is on our porch for the moment. If I end up keeping him for longer than a few days, I would like to move him to an outdoors set up but don't want to put him in with our chickens. How far away from our birds would be considered safe? Is there anything I can offer that he might find interesting to eat? He is laying down near the food/water containers, so I'm hoping he's eating and I just haven't seen him.
