- Jun 18, 2014
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Hi All,
We have a flock of about 20 layers with one rooster whom we got all together as day old chicks in October 2012. In October 2013, one of the hens hatched 10 eggs from the rooster. We ended up with 6 gals and 4 roosters from that hatch. 3 of the 4 roosters ended up in the stew pot (sorry, folks) but we kept one because he seemed to do well with the flock once the other new roosters were removed. Usually the original flock and the "newbies" free range separately during the day but roost together at night. The original rooster would free range with his girls, and the new rooster would range separately with his girls but everyone would come together at dusk. Anyway, last week we noticed the younger rooster started chasing the first rooster around and was starting to bully him. One morning this week I noticed the main/older rooster was soaking wet in the morning as if he'd been outside all night. Upon closer inspection, I noticed blood on his comb, and missing feathers on the top of his head/neck. I double checked last night after dusk to be sure the original rooster was in the coop, but he was not. I looked everywhere for him and found him in the goat barn alone and cowering. During the day today, he has been foraging alone without his girls, away from the areas they typically frequent. Is this typical behavior, and is there a way to get him back to the flock? Does the pecking order fluctuate, or is this how it is going to be from here on out? Any suggestions? Should we get rid of rooster #2? I feel so bad for our first rooster that he's now all alone without his babes and has been ostracized from the flock.
We have a flock of about 20 layers with one rooster whom we got all together as day old chicks in October 2012. In October 2013, one of the hens hatched 10 eggs from the rooster. We ended up with 6 gals and 4 roosters from that hatch. 3 of the 4 roosters ended up in the stew pot (sorry, folks) but we kept one because he seemed to do well with the flock once the other new roosters were removed. Usually the original flock and the "newbies" free range separately during the day but roost together at night. The original rooster would free range with his girls, and the new rooster would range separately with his girls but everyone would come together at dusk. Anyway, last week we noticed the younger rooster started chasing the first rooster around and was starting to bully him. One morning this week I noticed the main/older rooster was soaking wet in the morning as if he'd been outside all night. Upon closer inspection, I noticed blood on his comb, and missing feathers on the top of his head/neck. I double checked last night after dusk to be sure the original rooster was in the coop, but he was not. I looked everywhere for him and found him in the goat barn alone and cowering. During the day today, he has been foraging alone without his girls, away from the areas they typically frequent. Is this typical behavior, and is there a way to get him back to the flock? Does the pecking order fluctuate, or is this how it is going to be from here on out? Any suggestions? Should we get rid of rooster #2? I feel so bad for our first rooster that he's now all alone without his babes and has been ostracized from the flock.
