Thanks so much for the detailed response, I will definitely try this! At his new home he will be the only chicken (they only have a pet dog right now). He seems to be very independent and happy on his own and he’ll be getting lots of interaction with his new owners. Since he’ll be the only chicken, is it safe to rehome him with the eye condition? The new owners will continue treatment of it.
Based on the other responses, I’m thinking that’s most likely what he is. He’s very docile and likes to be pet and held, so maybe he’s just too easy going to stand his ground against the hens.
Wait wait wait. Only chickens are a bad bad idea. It’s especially terrible for young males because they…Erm…have a very strong urge to breed. He’s gonna be unhappy. Do they plan on getting more females?
Yes they’re strongly considering it, but we’re hesitant only because he had gotten beat up so badly by the last hens he lived with. I’ve read that roosters can he happy alone, but if that’s not the case, I’ll make sure they will get some hens for him. I just want him to be happy.
They can be…but young, hormonal males will suffer in a situation like that because the thing they want to do most is…you can guess. Some maybe 4-5 month old pullets, introduced safely and slowly so there’s not much aggression (a little pecking is fine, but extreme feather pulling and blood is not) and they’ll be a happy flock.
That’s what I’m thinking too!
Our roosters are fine on their own, we have four of them in the same large bachelor pad pen together. They are separate from the hens, and they are better off without hens, which keeps them from getting too aggressive.
But, chickens are flock animals. Bachelor pads do okay, but they often have older males.
I know that, thanks though.
