Stray Rooster

[KimbosKluckers]

Do you have any spare fencing or a large wire cage? Even a wire gate that he can't fit through would work. They way you talk, you have fencing all around your yard? For him, I think your best bet on catching him would be to set up a chicken trap. That is, if you're quick enough on your feet to get him in it and catch him that way.

I tried doing a quick sketch of what a chicken trap is. (I keep meaning to write an article on this. ) Here:

View attachment 4238350

So both traps are drawn from an aerial perspective to give you the jest. The main point is you set it up against a fence he'll try staying against (like your hen yard), and you have the trap set up against it. The best trap is the above bottom trap (the V), where you have a gate or fence that leads into a point so he has less room to turn around in. Even better if you have a fence covering the top so he can't fly up, but if the space is small enough, the trap tall enough, and you're fast enough, then usually that's not an issue. I've set up plenty of traps without a top. If your fencing is short, you'll need a top. You'll also want to only use materials he can see through, like your wire fencing. If you use a cardboard box, he'll know it's a trap and not go in.

So, the basics of a chicken trap is you set it up, then lead the bird into it. This isn't a typical trap where the chicken is automatically caught. You have to follow them in and be ready to snatch them, while also being prepared that he might try escaping by running or flying at you (or particularly, your head because it's high). If you don't have a top, he might try flying out that way. If you use fencing that's not big enough for him to fit through, but big enough for his head to, then that'll work better because you can pounce while he's trying to get through the hole.

Then don't stress if you don't catch him first try! Some chickens are trickier than others, especially if you've never done this before or your trap isn't set right. Even me who has been using traps for years has issues every once and awhile.

Thank you for that. The drawing makes sense. Haven’t quite decided if I should trap and quarantine to keep him or for someone to come get him. The girls try to move away when they see him, and he’s terrified of my dogs who are great with chickens. Even my pig isn’t sure. I’m sure in time they’d all get used to it. We are wracking our brains on how to make it work. It might be a huge pain and disrupt everyone…or it might be worth it.

His poop doesn’t look terrible considering he’s probably surviving on what he forages. If you have a fishing net that works too.

Thank you!

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Thank you for that. The drawing makes sense. Haven’t quite decided if I should trap and quarantine to keep him or for someone to come get him. The girls try to move away when they see him, and he’s terrified of my dogs who are great with chickens. Even my pig isn’t sure. I’m sure in time they’d all get used to it. We are wracking our brains on how to make it work. It might be a huge pain and disrupt everyone…or it might be worth it.

You're welcome. At this point, nobody knows anyone, so I'd expect them all to be shy right now. (Think, he is a stranger, as well as everyone else, just he's a single dude who just found some single ladies.) Whenever I introduce a new chicken, I allow two weeks for them to get adjusted. I would be a little concerned about the dogs though, as those are often viewed as predators, but he may adjust to them as well. (I've never tried adjusting my chickens to my dog (a husky\lab mix), so I'm not familiar with how well they adjust.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

You're welcome. At this point, nobody knows anyone, so I'd expect them all to be shy right now. (Think, he is a stranger, as well as everyone else, just he's a single dude who just found some single ladies.) Whenever I introduce a new chicken, I allow two weeks for them to get adjusted. I would be a little concerned about the dogs though, as those are often viewed as predators, but he may adjust to them as well. (I've never tried adjusting my chickens to my dog (a husky\lab mix), so I'm not familiar with how well they adjust.

He was just foraging with my pig. Lol and he came closer to me to get some pellets, not from my hand yet but close. My girls were introduced to my dogs every day since they were three days old so everyone is like “whatever.” American Bulldog and pit and NEVER without me near (separate yards) I don’t think we want to keep him in the shed for two weeks to quarantine though. They can get used to each other during the day through the fence as they have been. And last night he slept in the pig yard, no coop but double fences from the outside world. Obviously I hope he’s safe but better than wondering the neighborhood trying to find a place to roost. But ahhh 4am alarm, every day forever? Haha

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

He was just foraging with my pig. Lol and he came closer to me to get some pellets, not from my hand yet but close. My girls were introduced to my dogs every day since they were three days old so everyone is like “whatever.” American Bulldog and pit and NEVER without me near (separate yards) I don’t think we want to keep him in the shed for two weeks to quarantine though. They can get used to each other during the day through the fence as they have been. And last night he slept in the pig yard, no coop but double fences from the outside world. Obviously I hope he’s safe but better than wondering the neighborhood trying to find a place to roost. But ahhh 4am alarm, every day forever? Haha

He looks like he's already made himself at home. Like I said in my original post (which again, is bad advice), I'd just throw him in with my girls and call it good. He is a really handsome rooster. Crowing or not, I hope you keep him. If you was closer, I'd take him, lol. I'm slightly looking for a rooster right now.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

He looks like he's already made himself at home. Like I said in my original post (which again, is bad advice), I'd just throw him in with my girls and call it good. He is a really handsome rooster. Crowing or not, I hope you keep him. If you was closer, I'd take him, lol. I'm slightly looking for a rooster right now.

Aw I wish you were closer too then! I just don’t trust giving him to just anyone. I’m a sucker. I think I’m going against the quarantine thing too, hope I’m not sorry later but they’ve been on the same ground at different times already while he was jumping fences. I do have questions about finally letting them together though. What to look for in him and my girls? What’s normal in figuring out pecking order etc. When is it too much. I have 5 girls. Is that an ok ratio? I apologize for the newbie stuff but I appreciate your help.

 

[NatJ]

Ok, so for some basics of quarantine, or at least on caring for a quarantined bird, you want no contact from the bird in quarantine to the birds who are not. You should take care of your flock first, then take care of the rooster. That way you're not introducing anything he has to your hens (but are introducing everything from your hens to him, good and bad). Technically, if you've stepped anywhere he has been or any part of you have been in contact with him, your shoes and anything else that came in contact should be washed. This is for the extreme case. If it's a concern, then putting plastic bags over your shoes that you can remove or have separate pairs of shoes to take care of him should be fine. The biggest thing is he has no contact with them, and that's even through his poop (which is something you should be checking on for worms or anything that doesn't look normal. Depending on his diet, you might want to wait a few days in case he's eaten anything that he wasn't supposed to). Some do say to keep a bird in quarantine so many feet from the flock. I don't know how far that is, though I want to say it's 30 feet? Personally again, I think contact is the biggest concern, but good practice would be distance as well, because the wind does blow.

Regarding the bit I put in bold inside the quote:
It's a bit late for that in the case of this rooster that's been hanging our for two days now, socializing through the fence and pooping on the ground the person walks across.

Depending on how many days it takes to catch him, I'm not sure there will be much point in trying to quarantine him. He's already had quite a bit of opportunity to spread anything he is carrying.

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Regarding the bit I put in bold inside the quote:
It's a bit late for that in the case of this rooster that's been hanging our for two days now, socializing through the fence and pooping on the ground the person walks across.

Depending on how many days it takes to catch him, I'm not sure there will be much point in trying to quarantine him. He's already had quite a bit of opportunity to spread anything he is carrying.

That was kind of my thinking on that too. And he may have been around longer before I even noticed him.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Aw I wish you were closer too then! I just don’t trust giving him to just anyone. I’m a sucker. I think I’m going against the quarantine thing too, hope I’m not sorry later but they’ve been on the same ground at different times already while he was jumping fences.

I feel like any question on quarantine is summed up here:

Regarding the bit I put in bold inside the quote:
It's a bit late for that in the case of this rooster that's been hanging our for two days now, socializing through the fence and pooping on the ground the person walks across.

Depending on how many days it takes to catch him, I'm not sure there will be much point in trying to quarantine him. He's already had quite a bit of opportunity to spread anything he is carrying.

Thank you, @NatJ. Seeing you had quoted me instantly made me think I was in trouble for not being too worried about quarantine.
That did cross my mind, so thank you for bringing it up, and the OP brought that up too. Very good point.

I do have questions about finally letting them together though. What to look for in him and my girls? What’s normal in figuring out pecking order etc. When is it too much. I have 5 girls. Is that an ok ratio? I apologize for the newbie stuff but I appreciate your help.

I would expect he'd immediately try winning them over by courting them. He'll like put his wing down and do the dance. I don't know as he'd immediately mount them, but that will come with the first willing (or unsuspecting) hen. Roosters are exempt from the the hens' pecking order. When adding a new rooster, there is a chance they'll fight, especially because he's young and inexperienced. If there is any fighting, he is old enough that I don't think it'll last long and they'll eventually give in to him. (You'll probably notice some hens falling for him more than others.)

When's too much is when there's blood and it's going on for days and days. If there's direct bullying, then you should intervene. The best method of adding any new bird (that I've found) is add them at night. It minimizes the integration time by nearly a week, though they have seen him, so it probably doesn't matter at this point. If this was my flock, I'd just let the hens out to free range (supervised), then lead them back in when all is good (or when I'm going back inside). If all is good, he should go right in with them, though he might be again, nervous of the new place.

The ratio... is a little concerning. For a rooster his size, I'd actually say 18 hens, though you could still go with the typical 12. I have known people to keep roosters with that ratio, and I've even had a flock with a rooster with four hens. The biggest thing to be worried about is their backs and over mating. When you have more hens, that activity would be spread out further. (My small flock actually did just fine. But then again, my rooster was a different breed and was more respectful. There's no telling how he's going to be.)

 

[KimbosKluckers]

I feel like any question on quarantine is summed up here:

Thank you, @NatJ. Seeing you had quoted me instantly made me think I was in trouble for not being too worried about quarantine.
That did cross my mind, so thank you for bringing it up, and the OP brought that up too. Very good point.

I would expect he'd immediately try winning them over by courting them. He'll like put his wing down and do the dance. I don't know as he'd immediately mount them, but that will come with the first willing (or unsuspecting) hen. Roosters are exempt from the the hens' pecking order. When adding a new rooster, there is a chance they'll fight, especially because he's young and inexperienced. If there is any fighting, he is old enough that I don't think it'll last long and they'll eventually give in to him. (You'll probably notice some hens falling for him more than others.)

When's too much is when there's blood and it's going on for days and days. If there's direct bullying, then you should intervene. The best method of adding any new bird (that I've found) is add them at night. It minimizes the integration time by nearly a week, though they have seen him, so it probably doesn't matter at this point. If this was my flock, I'd just let the hens out to free range (supervised), then lead them back in when all is good (or when I'm going back inside). If all is good, he should go right in with them, though he might be again, nervous of the new place.

The ratio... is a little concerning. For a rooster his size, I'd actually say 18 hens, though you could still go with the typical 12. I have known people to keep roosters with that ratio, and I've even had a flock with a rooster with four hens. The biggest thing to be worried about is their backs and over mating. When you have more hens, that activity would be spread out further. (My small flock actually did just fine. But then again, my rooster was a different breed and was more respectful. There's no telling how he's going to be.)

Got it. So basically watch and read body language etc. blood is no good. I never wanted more than my 6 girls (put one down last week) I truly hope that won’t be an issue. I will never have that many. Wow. Tonight he jumped on my pig’s covered deck. 6 and half feet tall, jumped from the ground no problem at all. I couldn’t believe it. Why he hasn’t let himself in their run I’ll never know. Thanks again. And I’ll post progress.

 

[Strawberry74]

Got it. So basically watch and read body language etc. blood is no good. I never wanted more than my 6 girls (put one down last week) I truly hope that won’t be an issue. I will never have that many. Wow. Tonight he jumped on my pig’s covered deck. 6 and half feet tall, jumped from the ground no problem at all. I couldn’t believe it. Why he hasn’t let himself in their run I’ll never know. Thanks again. And I’ll post progress.

Maybe he is quarantining himself in the pigs pen or maybe he likes pig companionship is the pig pen next to the chickens? I guess if he is ornery and over mates you can put him back with his buddy.

BTW I like your hanging ball for for pig to nose. Does it get used? I am always looking for enrichment for my 4 rescues.