I've posted about our rooster Olaf before but I could do with some advice please... or some sense knocking into me! We have had Olaf since April 2017 when he hopped over the fence from the neighbour's place and they let us keep him (his hens also hopped the fence and neighbour's didn't really want them anymore anyway). Apologies for the length.
In the time we have had him he has primarily been a very good rooster. I posted in November 2018 about him suddenly getting aggressive with hens, but we concluded that it was food-related (we had taken away the feeders we previously had out) and when we reinstated other feeders the problem stopped, so that is our fault and not his. Last summer he wounded a few hens in quick succession when mounting them - we gave him a pedicure (trimmed and filed his spurs and claws a little) and we had no problems after that, with all hens healing nicely. He doesn't seem to have good feet and I think wounded them not by being overly rough but just accidentally.
He is generally very good-natured with people and the hens and we enjoy keeping him. He always lets the hens eat first and calls them over, breaks up fights if the girls have them and my young nieces love him - they don't touch him but we trust him implicitly with them and they like to see him. We don't have any need for a rooster as we don't breed, but we enjoy the social element he brings to the flock.
Now spring is underway we have a problem again and I guess the only solution would sadly be to cull him or to separate him, which I am not sure is a nice life for a rooster? He is keeping himself very busy, doing what roosters do, but several of the hens are beginning to look very battered with a lot of feather loss. This morning Astrid seemed to be hiding and she has lost a lot of feathers since yesterday and looks very tired (I've checked her over and can't see any wounds, think she just needs a rest!). I notice that when he dismounts from the hens he often seems a bit sort of stuck and pulls out feathers with his feet as he gets off them. None of the hens have any wounds at present and he does not seem nasty with them but is clearly doing some damage. He has 18 hens with him and seems to share the love between many of them, although there are some he never bothers with (presumably those who are not in lay?).
I don't wish to rehome him as there are many roosters looking for homes already, plus I don't wish to pass a problem on to someone else. I wondered if we could separate him in full view of the hens perhaps, but presumably that would be frustrating for him and not a very nice life? He is out with them currently but Astrid the hen is having a rest in our 'chicken hospital'. Photos of Astrid attached and of Olaf - he has crooked feet as you can see and is a fairly big boy.
We love him but of course we have to think of the welfare of the girls so any thoughts much appreciated. I expect many of you will say to cull him and we'll have to face up to it!
PS. I should add that Olaf already had another pedicure last week but you can't get too much off spurs or claws, the quick grows close to the end. I did my best to blunt them with a file. Astrid looks sleepy in the pics but was actually quite perky mostly and is drinking and picking at food, plus has had some nutri-drops.
In the time we have had him he has primarily been a very good rooster. I posted in November 2018 about him suddenly getting aggressive with hens, but we concluded that it was food-related (we had taken away the feeders we previously had out) and when we reinstated other feeders the problem stopped, so that is our fault and not his. Last summer he wounded a few hens in quick succession when mounting them - we gave him a pedicure (trimmed and filed his spurs and claws a little) and we had no problems after that, with all hens healing nicely. He doesn't seem to have good feet and I think wounded them not by being overly rough but just accidentally.
He is generally very good-natured with people and the hens and we enjoy keeping him. He always lets the hens eat first and calls them over, breaks up fights if the girls have them and my young nieces love him - they don't touch him but we trust him implicitly with them and they like to see him. We don't have any need for a rooster as we don't breed, but we enjoy the social element he brings to the flock.
Now spring is underway we have a problem again and I guess the only solution would sadly be to cull him or to separate him, which I am not sure is a nice life for a rooster? He is keeping himself very busy, doing what roosters do, but several of the hens are beginning to look very battered with a lot of feather loss. This morning Astrid seemed to be hiding and she has lost a lot of feathers since yesterday and looks very tired (I've checked her over and can't see any wounds, think she just needs a rest!). I notice that when he dismounts from the hens he often seems a bit sort of stuck and pulls out feathers with his feet as he gets off them. None of the hens have any wounds at present and he does not seem nasty with them but is clearly doing some damage. He has 18 hens with him and seems to share the love between many of them, although there are some he never bothers with (presumably those who are not in lay?).
I don't wish to rehome him as there are many roosters looking for homes already, plus I don't wish to pass a problem on to someone else. I wondered if we could separate him in full view of the hens perhaps, but presumably that would be frustrating for him and not a very nice life? He is out with them currently but Astrid the hen is having a rest in our 'chicken hospital'. Photos of Astrid attached and of Olaf - he has crooked feet as you can see and is a fairly big boy.
We love him but of course we have to think of the welfare of the girls so any thoughts much appreciated. I expect many of you will say to cull him and we'll have to face up to it!
PS. I should add that Olaf already had another pedicure last week but you can't get too much off spurs or claws, the quick grows close to the end. I did my best to blunt them with a file. Astrid looks sleepy in the pics but was actually quite perky mostly and is drinking and picking at food, plus has had some nutri-drops.
When I saw it, I was in shock. I think sometimes it can be roosters or the top hen(s) that cause feathers to get damaged or worn out. 
...or at least confine him, of course he won't like it but he may settle in and you can release him later in the season or until you 'invite him for dinner'.
