The accidental rooster keeper

[blueslover]

We purchased a new bird feeder and a bag of rather pricey birdseed a few weeks ago to see if it might attract a new type of bird to our yard. Well, it did. We looked out the next day and there was a rooster in our suburban backyard. He has been with us 2 1/2 weeks now. We have found a home on a farm for him, but first have to catch him.

I have two questions:
1. How does one go about catching a rooster? He keeps a good 20 feet away from us.
2. Can roosters overeat? We put cracked corn down for him which he eats, and he also plucks bugs out of the lawn, but the birds can shovel our feeder empty in an hour, which leaves a lot of seed on the ground. I worry that he might eat too much birdseed. We have a bowl of fresh water down for him and he drinks from it regularly. Any dietary guidance would be appreciated.

We are enjoying having him here. He has singlehandedly made our alarm clock redundant. He makes nests in the mulch under our trees and sleeps in the holly. He's such a cutie.

 

[Sock Puppet]

You might have to buy a net to catch him. Thats the only thing I can think of, maybe someone else has a better idea.

He obviously thinks he found a home

 

[mrbstephens]

I have a soccer goal that I chase my chickens into if I have to catch them.

 

[wanda047]

Ahhh... I think you ought to keep him. He looks quite content in your backyard... not to mention beautiful!

 

[Akane]

I've been accidentally trapping my chickens in raccoon traps.

My standard roo is a bit tall for that though. If you can lure him into a dog crate or something and close the door quickly that could work. Otherwise if you know where he sleeps just pick a rather dark night, wait till he's asleep, and go pick him up. Chickens can't really see in the dark so they get very inactive and don't like to run off into the dark. They'll mostly just sit there and make a few complaints. At minimum you'd be able to get close enough to throw a blanket or net over him.

Or you can just buy a bag of poultry feed for him and keep him.

 

[bryan8]

keep him!

~Bryan

 

[blueslover]

You guys!!!
You are making this sooooooo hard!!! I worry about this rooster all the time. One morning I was making my coffee and watching him peacefully eating under the bird feeder when he stood up straight, got a terrified look on his face and took off running. He was running FAST! I looked to see what was happening and two dogs go whizzing by after him. I flew out the door, took off after the dogs and chased them out of the yard, being as ferocious as I could so they got the message that they're not welcome here. It was 6:45 a.m., and my husband opens the back door and sees his wife chasing dogs across the backyard. Once the dogs were gone, I thought, "This rooster is turning me into a rooster."

Another day, my husband wakes me a little before 5 a.m. and excitedly tells me there's a fox in our backyard. I immediately felt sick and looked out and saw the fox eating something under one of the bird feeders. I walked outside and the fox ran off. When it got light enough, I saw that a squirrel or deer had knocked down the suet feeder and the fox had finished it off. I told my husband, "No more suet until that rooster is on the farm!" With the first crow the next morning, I bounced out of bed and scoured the yard for the fox. It's exhausting. At least it's not winter. I don't have to worry about him freezing to death.

At first I worried about him being lonely, but, amazingly, he seems to have cobbled together a flock. A motley flock, with a membership that fluctuates from 1 to 24, but they keep him company. The squirrels and rabbits were afraid of him at first, but not now.

 

[Appaloosa Hill Farm]

I'm in the "Keep Him!" club.

 

[gritsar]

I think you are doing fine by him for now, but I agree with the others. Why not keep him?
He's small and I'll bet if you threw him together a small little doghouse-type structure w/a door and roost and started putting goodies and water in there for him he'd learn to go in at night. No more worries about something getting him in the night.

 

[Akane]

If you really do want to keep him, are just worried for his safety, and are willing to let him out every morning and lock him up every evening. Then yea you can get a cheap dog kennel and attach a door with a latch or find an unwanted utility shed and cut a few vents near the top to keep it from getting stuffy while the doors are closed. You can often find such structures cheap off craigslist or other sources. Put in roost, feed bin with poultry feed, and waterer. Once he starts going in it I would lock him up for just a couple days and then let him out in the evening on the 3rd day. He should return to the roost as it gets dark and then you can let him out all day. He'll sleep safely in the building and wander your yard while your awake. Most of the danger will be gone. It's only the occasional stray dog that might come by during the day and he's likely pretty good at dodging predators by now. Doubt he'll be much safer than that at any farm unless they confine the chickens to well fenced pens.