What to do about a lonely rooster

[d4v1d]

I have a rooster who got injured. I tried to allow him to stay with the flock (24 hens, 4 roosters including the subject of this post). He was number three in the pecking order. The two more dominant roosters bullied him and made it difficult to heal. The number one rooster had to be culled because of aggression towards me. He was separated but put in a XL dog kennel to heal from moe several days. I culled the number one rooster during this time. When I reintroduced him he was able to hang out with the ladies, stayed near me for protection, but when I’m not among the flock the number 2 rooster( now number 1) would run him off. He stayed at the edge of the flock and some girls would always go visit him. Now he is almost entirely healed but when I came home the flock was in the back yard and the rooster in question was laying down on the side of the house with no other hens around. It appears he has been banished from the flock. He still enters the coop at night but he is the last one out of the coop in the morning and sometimes hiding under the nest boxes. He is very friendly and my favorite based on temperament but I’m worried about him. Emotions of it removed, should I consider culling him? Will he be happy as a lone rooster or is it bad for him? All of my chickens are 6 months old. Any advice is appreciated.

 

[azygous]

Sometimes we chicken keepers feel we need to be social directors, keeping bored chickens entertained and medding in flock social dynamics. It's hard sometimes to remember chickens don't have the same sorts of emotions as we do. What appears to be a lonely chicken may be a contented chicken taking a breather from the intensity of flock competition. Try to understand that while chickens need their flock for a sense of well being, it's enough to be in general proximity and not in the center of activity to derive benefit from the flock.

As long as this rooster is eating well and is otherwise acting normally, he's okay. Do continue to keep an eye on him to be sure he isn't being dangerously bullied. He will rejoin the flock when he feels he needs to.

 

[rod5591]

It sounds like you have enough room, which in my opinion is the number one priority if you have multiple roosters. If he has a safe space on the outskirts of the flock where he won't be chased or attacked by the dominant rooster, he should be fine. In time he will work out where he belongs. In time he may try to move closer or back into the heart of the flock. He may need to fight his way back in. I suggest letting him try, or if there is only room for one rooster, keep the one you like and rehome the other.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I have multiple roosters that got along well when they were young, but of course when hormones kicked in they started to squabble, mostly due to the fact that I had many hens in there with them. Then the squabbling got a bit rough. I ended up building another coop and each coop has sections for each rooster and "his own hen group". What's funny is, I can let them All out to free range at the same time, There is no flighting! The Roos mill about with their own hens, sticking together free ranging & pecking weeds & bugs, as I'm out there gardening. Of course I'm out there to supervise, if any squabble does occur, but really the reason I'm out there is because I have foxes literally running through my yard. I've never had a Fox attack, even though they are running by within 15' of me or my chickens either...But that's another story for another post LOL.

I definitely agree that having enough space, or providing them with their own space, is crucial. Otherwise, they will squabble constantly if All are confined to a small area. The main reason roosters squabble is because they are in the presence of hens, too. Some people keep bachelors coops of only roosters, and they get along fine, because there are no hens to fight over.

Anyway, A friend of mine has quite a big flock and a large area for free ranging, and they do all go into one coop to roost for the night, And of course the dominant Rooster goes in 1st, and the more submissive Roo is last to go in, and last to come out the next morning. I don't believe it is sadness but rather a sign of respect for the elder. Or, 1 leads & 1 trails at the end, protecting, to prevent a fox attack from behind? But there I go attaching my human thoughts and emotions...Maybe it is what they are doing, or maybe it's just instinct of pecking order. But whatever it is, As long as you don't see open wounds and trailing or gushing blood, And there combs aren't all beat up, flesh hanging or all scabby with dried up blood, Everything should be fine. In time, there may come a few hens that are lower on the pecking order, that will naturally gravitate towards the more submissive Roo. At least that's what happened in my case here. The wimpy hens go to the more gentle, sensitive Roo. Most times it all works out.

 

[Klutch]

Let him be, you never know when he is called on to ascend the throne.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Sometimes we chicken keepers feel we need to be social directors, keeping bored chickens entertained and medding in flock social dynamics. It's hard sometimes to remember chickens don't have the same sorts of emotions as we do. What appears to be a lonely chicken may be a contented chicken taking a breather from the intensity of flock competition. Try to understand that while chickens need their flock for a sense of well being, it's enough to be in general proximity and not in the center of activity to derive benefit from the flock.

As long as this rooster is eating well and is otherwise acting normally, he's okay. Do continue to keep an eye on him to be sure he isn't being dangerously bullied. He will rejoin the flock when he feels he needs to.

This.

I have two males I finally retired for their own safety (lone chickens here don't last as long with the raptors right now). For months, they slept with their respective flocks, but during the day, the other roosters made it very clear that they were not welcome. I had to feed them separately throughout the day to make sure they were getting food, and one had some foot issues that complicated things. When the second had a near fatal experience, it was enough for me and I grabbed both and put them in their new pen.

They seem as content as they can be, sharing a smaller area with no hens. There was some arguing, but it settled quickly due to the foot issues the one has (small spurs and large lack of toes from frostbite over the years, meaning he can't jump and kick out like they typically do).

I can't say they weren't content before when they were loners in the free ranging. They weren't sullen and refusing food, they just knew that sticking with their flocks would mean being targeted from the flock masters and lower ranking roosters.

These two were also flock masters for at least 7 years to their respective flocks