When can I return him to the hens?

[needmorechickens!]

My roo Perkins is going to have to be seperated for a while because the hens are picking at his feet so bad they have really messed up his back toes.
My question is can I let him out to roost at night? When he sits on the roost, his toes are covered so he should be good right?

~Rebecca

 

[enola]

He should be fine as long as his feet are covered up. But, are you going to be there in the morning BEFORE he gets up? If you aren't, the hens will notice his sore toes and start picking on them right away. Thus, prolonging the reason for isolating him.

 

[needmorechickens!]

I get out there before daylight, but I guess it would make things easier if I just leave him in the cage. The cage is inside the coop with the others so he can still see them, he just can't roost with them. I just hope he is warm enough without them snuggled up to him.
~Rebecca

 

[needmorechickens!]

Well, I got out there at 5:20 this morning and they were already off the roost eating and scratching around in the coop, so I guess I will have to leave him in the cage until he is healed. Boy, he was not happy.
I got him in the cage and when I put his waterer down in there he attacked it! He bumped it with his chest like it was another rooster.
He has always been a very good roo to the girls and never attacked me, but do you think having to be caught and caged is gonna make him become aggressive?
(I had read a post from one person that said it seemed the roosters they had to handle the most are the ones they ended up having trouble with.)
Wonder how long it will take his toes to heal up?
~Rebecca

 

[needmorechickens!]

Ok he's been in the cage for 6 days now, and his toes are scabbed over and black.

When can I let him out?
Do you think they will start pecking him again?
~Rebecca