Unaccepted Cockerel after show

[mamasnowwolf]

In May, we received 20 chicks to raise. Most are RIR (son's choice) We ended up with 3 different varieties of Plymouth Rock as well. Our favorite is the Silver Penciled Rock, which unfortunately, we believe to be a male. My son took this bird and a RIR cockerel to the fair. When they returned home, both were put in the coop after the others went to sleep. The next morning everyone was picking on Silver. It appears the RIR was accepted back, but this one was not. We have about 6, maybe 7 cockerels beside Silver. In an attempt to see how the flock gets along, I removed all the cockerels and put Silver in with just the pullets. There's about 7 or 8 girls. He gets chased around, not attacked like with the cockerels, but he is chased, he doesn't really fight back. He's roosting on a support brace. Every time he tries to come down, he gets chased. He even gets chased when he's just standing there. We would like to keep him as a show bird, but if he's not getting along with the hens, this may be an issue. Is there a chance leaving them all together would result in them learning to get along? Or because he's s show bird, can he live a solitary life? I realize he's not even 4 months old and things will change as he gets older, but I feel sorry for him when he desperately wants away from the pullets.

 

[Jenessa_096]

I’m sorry, I don’t know what to do. Maybe someone else can help? Bumping up this thread for others to see.

 

[Mrs. K]

Might add a single bird to him. Wait until they have worked it out, then add the pair back to the pullets.

 

[DemeChick]

In May, we received 20 chicks to raise. Most are RIR (son's choice) We ended up with 3 different varieties of Plymouth Rock as well. Our favorite is the Silver Penciled Rock, which unfortunately, we believe to be a male. My son took this bird and a RIR cockerel to the fair. When they returned home, both were put in the coop after the others went to sleep. The next morning everyone was picking on Silver. It appears the RIR was accepted back, but this one was not. We have about 6, maybe 7 cockerels beside Silver. In an attempt to see how the flock gets along, I removed all the cockerels and put Silver in with just the pullets. There's about 7 or 8 girls. He gets chased around, not attacked like with the cockerels, but he is chased, he doesn't really fight back. He's roosting on a support brace. Every time he tries to come down, he gets chased. He even gets chased when he's just standing there. We would like to keep him as a show bird, but if he's not getting along with the hens, this may be an issue. Is there a chance leaving them all together would result in them learning to get along? Or because he's s show bird, can he live a solitary life? I realize he's not even 4 months old and things will change as he gets older, but I feel sorry for him when he desperately wants away from the pullets. View attachment 2785399

If you have a metal dog kennel, put him in that wherever the others are. Just put a lid over him so he doesn’t get pooped on. I did this with a Mille fluer and the other cockerels could do their puffing up and fighting on the other side of the cage. After a few days I was able to let him out. The hens accepted him but sometimes the cockerels chased him. He wasn’t pecked on though he did keep to himself if given the choice.

 

[roheryn]

How did that work out? We’ve got a 7 month Silkie boy that is shunned by our flock. He was raised with 3 others, one is an Ayam Cemani cockerel. Initially they all got along, but at about 4 months the ladies started picking on him. They chase him and pull his feathers. He’s the only Silkie. We tried the kennel for two weeks but it isn’t working. We got two young female Silkies (10 weeks) so he might have friends, but now he’s attacking them. He’s a beautiful show bird, very good pedigree, but I’d hate him to live alone forever.