Suddenly Mean Rooster

[ChuChooks]

So, I've got this six month old Ameraucana rooster. He's been my favorite of all our chickens since they were chicks. He's always been a bit spunky, but as he's grown he's become the sweetest and most willing to let me pick him up and hold him.

Over the past couple days he's been sick and, only slightly related, I've decided to rehome him because we're in town and managing his crowing without quarantine is hard enough. It's been stressful for both of us.

He's been spending the nights in a laundry basket in our garage and days in a 4'x8' chicken tractor I put in our front yard, which is right next to the road. He's not used to any of this, including all the cars and people walking by...

Anyway, he's started pecking me. Yesterday was the first time and he broke my skin, though I didn't bleed. Today he walked right up and pecked my boot, and then pecked at my finger when I reached to pick him up. He hasn't pecked at me at all since he was a chick.

He's going to a family owned animal rescue tomorrow, so I'm hoping this is just a symptom of his not feeling well and being stressed and isolated from his ladies. I hope he's not just becoming mean. It's sad because I've become attached and he was always so friendly with me...

Thoughts? Words of encouragement?

 

[Folly's place]

I do hope he does well at his new home. It's difficult to be sure either way at this point, and I also hope he's not really ill. If you haven't had a lot of experience with cockrels, you might have missed some behaviors that were important earlier. 'Friendly' and 'spunky' can be big red flags indicating difficulties later with cockrels. He is moving on, and will be intimidated there for a while, probably a good thing. He may learn to be polite and respectful of people, or not. Mary

 

[ChuChooks]

Thanks! I thought of that as I was writing. I guess time will tell.