Stray Rooster and the Urban Homestead.

[drumstick diva]

Nice that he has a home now

 

[aart]

I happen to have 2 French Black Copper Marans in my brooder so by the time he is all cleaned up they might be ready to join him.

Hopefully those 2 are females.
Meant to be!

 

[Compost King]

Spent most of the day out of town getting super low priced high quality feed as well as other monthly errands. Only had 2 interactions with Peck (the Rooster) of note. His pen isn't finished and a smaller Pullet who is afraid of every chicken (even from her own hatch) managed to get into his quarantine pen. she seemed at peace with him. Apparently he must be a gentleman around pullets. Thats a positive sign. They were pecking away at the ground and scratching as if the other wasn't even there and its a small pen for only big enough for 2 or 3 chickens... 28 Sq Feet. Then when I went to lock up coops he was roosting on the the fence of his pen. So I guess he can just leave when he wants now so tomorrow looks like pen finishing day. I tried to push him back down but he was stubborn and I wasn't going to push him hard enough to make him fall if he didn't want to jump down on his own so I picked him up. Sure he resisted like any good rooster would but he didn't kick or scratch me with his feet and he didn't peck me. He is getting more and more relaxed. I didn't have time to inspect him for mites today because it was a busy day. I only had time to manage food and water. .. and spent most of the day mixing 2 parts non medicated 18% chick starter with 1 part 28% game bird feed to make my own 21.7% Meat Bird feed. The Mill doesn't have a Meat Bird feed that I am satisfied with.. Just low Protein Pellets as "flock finisher" and I like higher protein crumbles. Its what I feed Peck.

 

[aart]

Sounds really good.
Wonder if he was handled before...
...or you just have the exact right demeanor to 'tame' a bird?

 

[Cryss]

So he has a lady already! He's really sounding like a keeper.

 

[Compost King]

He has been handled before, I have the magic touch with cats not chickens.

 

[Compost King]

Peck is doing better, he has also shown the ability to do a flutter kick if I encroach on his personal space but if I bend over to pick him up he lets me with no more pecking. He hasn't flutter kicked me after I turned my back like the mean roosters do, just when I approach him as he is in a corner. I can live with that. He flew out of his enclosure last night looking for a higher place to roost for 2 nights in a row and now his run is enclosed. I still need to work on the small gaps at ground level that allows a specific Pullet to break in. She does not like her flock but seems to like Peck because 3 days in a row she has been in his pen eating his food and scratching with him. I am about to put her in quarantine with him as finish up the lower level. If they get along and she doesn't like her own flock then maybe thats where she belongs for now. She is a cull from the Dorking Project I have going on.

Pecks coat is looking so much better after high protein feedings, he feet even seem to have healed, and he isn't so angry.

His new squeeze I guess, she keep breaking in.

The best picture I can get of his 2 future breeding partners. If I open the door to take a picture all the chicks pile on top of each other in the furthest corner so I have to take pictures through hardware cloth.

 

[townchicks]

Wow, he looks so much better. Sounds like he's going to be a good rooster for you. Hope the little ones are pullets.

 

[Morrigan]

He's turning out to be quite the looker. I'm glad he found you.

 

[Compost King]

about Peck.... anyone know any good Chicken Crock Pot Recipes? His feet returning to health meant he stopped pecking and started using his spurs... and he is great at drawing blood. I have never given up on an aggressive rooster so fast but his temperament is really bad, I see him as a Liability to keep.