Told ya'll my first question wouldn't take long... aggressive rooster?

[AmyRey]

I bet ya'll will know the answer to this!

My hubby got me started in the chicken hobby, which isn't exactly a hobby yet, as we don't have any ladies, but...

A coworker of his apparently raises fighting roosters. He had one that was getting ready to "retire" and that's how we came upon our rooster (who the kids have named Cocky Balboa).

Please know, that we do not condone fighting and will never, ever be participating in it.

Anyhow, this guy gives us Cocky and a pullet, told us that they could roam free; they would roost in the trees at night and be fine. Well, I'm guessing that the coworker didn't appreciate the diversity of wildlife that we have at our house. The pullet now surely resides in the belly of some unnamed beast, though Cocky seems to be managing thusfar just fine on his own.

Needless-to-say, the researcher in the family (Moi) immediately began construction of a lovely (hopefully) predator-proof coop and will be completing it before we acquire anymore ladies, preferrably three to four buff orpingtons.

My question is this... after much Googling, Cocky appears to be a "golden duckwing old english gamebird" (a regal sounding name if I ever heard one), somewhat on the younger side and - surprisingly - doesn't seem to be very aggressive at this point, despite his tragic past. (Although, he doesn't take too kindly to the neighborhood crows who try to sneak his corn each morning.)

Should I expect his demeanor to change once new ladies are introduced to his proximity? Will Dr. Jekyll transform into Mr. Hyde?

It might be helpful to note that our coop will be a "tractor" design, with the ladies being contained for a period of time until they get their bearings. I expect that Cocky won't be as eager to give up his newfound freedom so willingly and therefore won't be in direct contact with the ladies for a while. Will this help facilitate an easier introduction? Also, what differences, if any, there be between introducing him to adult hens vs. chicks?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Schultz]

I am sure there are many good, legit answers to your questions. I will tell you what my experiences have been and hopefully someone else with more experience will chime in.

We aquired a few games that we adore! They are in a secure pen at night to prevent predators from making them meals. We could allow them to roost in trees as they are fully flighted but I would rather have the piece of mind that they are safe despite the rooster being uncomfortable at first. I have found that our rooster is only agressive toward other roos not to us. Because your roo has been handled I would hope that he will stay docile toward you as ours has. I have also heard of roosters killing chicks that did not have the protection of their mother (have not seen it personally). Our rooster is not agressive toward our chicks but is very dominant over them now that momma has booted them from the nest. As for introduction of new hens, please make sure to quarentine them for at least a month for bio-security purposes. If the roo can see them at a safe distance during that period, it should help with the transition. I hope this helps. I am by no means an expert but am glad to try and help.

 

[AmyRey]

Thank you, Schultz!

I saw your avatar earlier. Ours looks a LOT like yours, except his neck and back is more blonde than red. As far as roosters go, he's a very pretty bird.

When you say "quarantine" how big of a separation distance does that need to be?

Should I expect him to come running over immediately when the ladies arrive? Or will he be content just to sit back a good ways and watch? Would chicks rather than hens make him not as inquisitive?

I will say that he's not very tame at all. He may have been handled, but not likely in a very comforting manner. He won't get any closer to us than about 4-5 feet, and that's only if we have something really enticing like bread scraps.

I'm hoping that eventually, he'll train himself to go into the enclosed portion of the tractor and into the upstairs coop as well, but that may turn out to just be wishful thinking.

 

[Schultz]

Sounds like it could be a Golden. You will have to take pics, he sounds lovely!
I would try to keep enticing him with treats (try different things) to show that you are friendly and mean him no harm. Once, we had to catch Mr. Fancy Pants (the roo in my avatar and the roo I have been speaking of) and it took a while to do so. We ended up using a large fishing net and it took both of us to get him wrangled up. That's when he was put in his pen. He really didn't like it at first but he got used to it and is still very loving and gentle with us. If your roo is anything like mine, the first thing he will want to do is check out the new girls. We usually quarentine in the garage which is attached to our coop and they can't see each other, we don't really have a choice. The further away the better I think. But then after a month or so, after we have determined that the birds are not diseased or show any signs of illness, we put them in a crate inside the coop for about a week so everyone gets familiar with each other and then I let them out. I wish I had room to do it the way I spoke of but we can't have it all. I think that if you get pullets that are at or close to laying age would be fine. He will want to mate with them so that would, in my opinion, make him more anxious to be with them.

 

[AmyRey]

When the ladies arrive (or when the chicks get old enough) they will be allowed to free range A LOT. I am hopeful that they'll only have be in the coop/run at night and during inclimate weather.

I'm expecting the girls to go back in - voluntarily - each night but should I expect him to (eventually) do this as well?

Perhaps the best scenario is to keep the ladies/chicks quaranteed. Then after a month, wrangle him up (likely using the fishing net strategy as well) and throw him in the confinement as well for a few weeks until they all recognize the coop as the best place to sleep? THEN let them out to free range during the day?

Is this a reasonable expectation? Or will he always head for the neighbor's oak trees at 7:30pm?

 

[Schultz]

Your "best scenario" sounds like a plausable plan! It can't hurt to try and show him it is a safe place with beautiful ladies. Roos also want to protect their flock so if they are in there, he just may want to be also. You will have to keep me posted for sure!
Did the previous owner give you an idea of his age? Would you be getting chicks from that person or another source?

 

[AmyRey]

I want to say that he's a little over a year old?

And no, the BO's would come from somewhere else. This fellow doesn't have any BO's anyway and after much online research, I'm pretty convinced that those are the girls for me.

The only thing we're undecided on is whether or not to get already laying hens from an auction somewhere (Neither of us has ever set foot in a livestock auction so we'd be WAY out of our element.), wait for some to show up on Craigslist or the Market Bulletin or just go get some chicks (which are available now) and chance it.

My patience level says get the chicks this weekend (now! right now! gotta have them now!) but my brain says wait and find some older hens - so we'll know they're girls - that are already laying.

Chicks hatched now wouldn't likely be laying before next spring, right?

I want eggs now. (now! right now! gotta have them now!)

See my problem?

 

[Judy]

You should be able to train either young chicks or older pullets/hens to go into the coop at night by keeping them in for a few days. With a little luck, the roo will go in with them to be with "his flock."

You could also try the buy-sell-trade section here.

 

[AmyRey]

I have been looking a little at that forum already.

 

[AmyRey]

I found some BO's in the Georgia Market Bulletin this time. (Nothing looked promising before.)

The ad says that they're "hatchlings to 8 weeks old".

Would 8 weeks be old enough to determine the gender?