The Front Porch Swing

[perchie.girl]

We figured out he choked on his food... His whole mouth was full with it. It must've kept food from going down.

Stupid collar. He crowed some yesterday, he could get the first part out loudly, but made a gaggy sound at the end of the crow... so I figured I had it ALMOST tight enough. I undid it, redid it, just a hair tighter, which is how it's supposed to work.. Neck cant expand to get those loud crows out, just soft one. He was out and about all day. I was too. He was still warm when I found him, although already stiff... so 30 minutes?

I never cried for a dead chicken.. but I did for him. I had gotten attached to him. He was no longer running from me, and he let me carry him inside every night. He wasnt happy about sleeping in a box indoors, but he was ok with it.

Oh I have been there Big hugs. Stuff happens. I had a one legged Guinea named Miss Peggy... Raccoons decided to do take out... she survived it and was able to return to the flock. But after about six months she was showing the signs of stress so I took her out of the flock along with another Guinea who got the snot beat out of him all the time. Mr Piedy and Miss Peggy got along... but they both paced the coop to get back in with the Guinea flock. I discovered Miss Peggy wedged between chainlink and plastic hardware cloth... Sigh...

We give them the best life we can.... we make mistakes learn and move on.

deb

 

[vehve]

Quote:
Keep in mind Roos when they are young are like teenage boys... Hormones raging and no experience. They do mellow out in time. The thing to watch is that he doesnt display dominant behaviors with people.

I had five very mellow fellows in my last flock.. but they had one dominant roo who gave them a lick or two when they got out of line.

deb
Karin would be the better half, so he's doing just that. With his ladies he's a perfect gentleman. He would be a great roo for a flock kept in a more rural environment where kids of neighbors wouldn't be a concern, and the chickens would mainly free range somewhere. I'd like to wait it out for a bit, but I do understand Karin's concerns. It isn't me he's after, after all.

 

[Tomtommom]

It's a shame when something like that happens. Just keep in mind, that you meant him no harm. I'm very sorry for your loss.

I can relate to being attached to your rooster. I've really grown fond of Topi too, but today he started trying to dominate Karin. It looks like we might need to cull him, if this behavior doesn't change soon. We can't keep an aggressive roo with the neighbors having young children. I'd really hate to do it though, he is great with his girls. Only 20 weeks old, and feeds them treats, watches over them, gathers them when we want to put them in the run, and I even like the sound of him crowing. There are some tough decisions to be made in the next few days. He also is a carrier of beautiful olive egger genes, so losing him would mean that we couldn't hatch any interesting birds from our own flock in the future.

I watched him call the girls yesterday. He had a treat and wanted his girls to have some. I've not had a rooster that young do that! He was only 23 weeks old.. and acted like a much more mature bird. He was able to mate my alpha hen, which amazed me, they normally whoop any male who tries. He stayed out til dark, was the last one to roost.. things you expect from a good mature rooster.

 

[vehve]

Quote:

 

[lazy gardener]

TTMom, I feel your pain. So difficult to loose a beloved pet. My wonderful Buddy cat has been missing for almost a week. I've been told there's a fox living at the end of our road.

Vehve: There are some excellent threads regarding dominance training for a rooster. Perhaps if Karin spends some time training him, it will work out. Do the neighbor kids come in your yard uninvited?

 

[chickadoodles]

My beautiful rooster is dead!

He's still outside.... his comb and wattles are purple. I'm afraid I killed him.

I bought him a rooster collar, to stop his crowing.... and well, it was helping a little, but not enough. So I tightened it a little more early this afternoon...... My poor beautiful rooster and he was so sweet! I had no idea it was too tight..

Never again. I'm returning it!

Tomtom, I am so sorry you lost your rooster!

I made one and put it on one of my roosters well I guess I had it to tight and he fell over on his side. I ran over and took it off and that was that I have decided I guess I will have 30+ roosters crowing for awhile.

 

[Tomtommom]

Yeah, it's not worth it.

I would have been ok with culling him myself, if I had to. I can't stand the idea of him having suffered at my hands.. horrifying.

 

[tntchix]

My beautiful rooster is dead!

He's still outside.... his comb and wattles are purple. I'm afraid I killed him.

I bought him a rooster collar, to stop his crowing.... and well, it was helping a little, but not enough. So I tightened it a little more early this afternoon...... My poor beautiful rooster and he was so sweet! I had no idea it was too tight..

Never again. I'm returning it!

I am so sorry. We all make mistakes and learn from them, especially when we are heartbroken.

 

[chickadoodles]

Yeah, it's not worth it.

I would have been ok with culling him myself, if I had to. I can't stand the idea of him having suffered at my hands.. horrifying.

Accidents happen and we learn from them.

 

[vehve]

TTMom,  I feel your pain.  So difficult to loose a beloved pet.  My wonderful Buddy cat has been missing for almost a week.  I've been told there's a fox living at the end of our road.  

Vehve:  There are some excellent threads regarding dominance training for a rooster.  Perhaps if Karin spends some time training him, it will work out.  Do the neighbor kids come in your yard uninvited?  

They have a open invitation, right now they're keeping their distance though.