A White Crested Black Polish Rooster just fell into my hands. I built an awsome coop for him. Three sides open with chicken wire, one solid side for protection, a shelf, a roosting place, a box with straw to get out of the weather if needed and a slanted roof for the rain to drain off, I went out and bought him food, feeder and a water holder. I have never had a rooster before but am an animal lover and have always loved the sound they make in the morning and this guy (fog horn leg horn) just stands tall and proud and is the most beautiful bird I have ever seen. I want him to be happy but am concerned about him being alone. Is it ok for a rooster to live alone? will he be happy? Is their anything else that I should do other than what is stated above to make this guy happy and keep him healthy?? Thanks Colleen

-- Colleen Corkins (colleen.corkins@york.com), December 04, 2000

Answers

I bet a hen or two strutting aroud would make him happier yet! :-)

-- Joe (Threearrs@AOL.com), December 04, 2000.

Where are you , I have a bunch and would part with afew.

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), December 04, 2000.

if you have any extra ones,, pass em this way

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), December 04, 2000.

He can certainly live alone. He will probably try to take up with another animal of some kind for companionship though. He would be happier with some hens around. Plus hens are very entertaining (my favorite form of entertainment when I have time to watch them) and they make wonderful eggs. By the way if you do get him some hens and they start laying don't be alarmed if the eggs have a white spot or a blood spot on the yolk....that just means he is 'enjoying' his new room mates. Another tip to keep you and your rooster happy....roosters grow spurs that need to be cut. I always use wire cutters..good sharp ones. Cut off about half the length when they get long..not too close to the body or it will bleed excessively..a little blood is normal. If the spurs get too long they start thinking they are hot stuff and get aggressive.

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), December 04, 2000.

Amanda: That spot on the yoke has nothing to do with the rooster. It's an old wife's tale.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 05, 2000.

Ken Are You sure?? What does cause the red spot then???

-- jTrendle Ellwood (trendlespin@mns.com), December 05, 2000.

My understanding is it was caused when the egg (yoke) detached and started down the reproductive organs. I'm trying to find a technical answer.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 05, 2000.

P.S. You also see this in commercial eggs and those girls have never seen a rooster.

This is a true story: At a consignment auction I bought a turkey necked rooster just because I thought he was so ugly he was pretty. My neighbors felt he was lonely so they brought him a small white hen, whose company he thoroughly enjoyed. Hawk got the hen one morning. I put the following classified ad in the paper: Wanted: Two old hens to keep a rooster company. Several women called thinking it was a lovelorn ad and I was that rooster.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 05, 2000.

This is from "Poultry Husbandry": "Eggs containing blood, blood spots or meal spots are usually the result of the rupture of blood vessels or the tearing away of some of the tissue of the lining of the oviduct."

"Poultry Production" essentially says the same thing.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 05, 2000.

Ken,you lonley old rooster, ROFL!!!! Thanks for a good belly laugh! We have 10 hens and three roosters. One of our barn kitties is quite enamored with one of the roosters. At first I though it was just a passing thing; but she is ALWAYS with him, affectionately rubbing against him and purring. It's quite sweet!

-- Beth Weber (talmidim88@hotmail.com), December 05, 2000.

Thank you everyone for your responses, this has helped me greatly and Ken has made me smile today and that is worth a million (thanks Ken). I do have another question though. If I am understanding you all correctly I can get a couple hens and the eggs that they lay are ok to eat? or does the rooster fertalize the egg? therefor making a chick? Being a new owner of these bird friends I am not sure of this egg laying process. I want to avoid having baby chicks, but would not mind avoiding the grocery store for eggs. Also, if I do get a couple hens do I need to make them a separate place for laying their eggs other than the box I have made for the rooster? and is it ok to have them all in the same pen, I don't want them to fight and get injured beacuse they are all cooped up together. Is one rooster and one hen OK? Thaks again...

-- Colleen Corkins (colleen.corkins@york.com), December 05, 2000.

Hi Colleen ~ You do not need a rooster to get a hen to lay eggs. She just lays unfertilized eggs. If you have a rooster that mates with the hen(s), she/they will lay fertilized eggs. You can still eat the fertilized eggs, if you gather them before she starts brooding them. Some people think that fertilized eggs have health benefits over unfertilized.

I'm sure that people will have much information to give you, but I would also like to suggest that you read the archives of THE HEN HOUSE. Scroll down below the posted questions, and you will see the various archives. Click on The Hen House, and you will be into the archives with the many, many threads about chickens that you can read! Have fun.

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 05, 2000.

Just collect your eggs daily and you will not have any chicks .The hen has to sit on the eggs for several weeks before the chicks hatch.

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), December 05, 2000.

Colleen, you do not have to clip a rooster's spurs. If he's going to get agressive, he will do so whether or not you clip his spurs. If he's going to be nice, long spurs won't change him. However, I can't think it will help his temperament any to manhandle him periodically and cut him until he bleeds. Just my two cents.

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), December 05, 2000.

There is no need to cut the spurs of a rooster, unless you plan to fight him. I have found the best cure for an "upity" rooster is to go head to head with him. Remember the whole pecking order thing? One good swift kick in the chest is all it takes to keep that rooster respecting you. Don't kick him hard enough to hurt him, just enough to set him back a little. Start lightly, and kick harder every time until he starts kissing your boots when you walk in.

-- Wayne (plefor@hotpop.com), December 06, 2000.

shucks Colleen, it sounds like your rooster has a nicer home than i have, maybe there's room for some hens, boys will be boys.

-- hillbilly (internethillbilly@hotmail.com), December 07, 2000.

Colleen, I've got some hens I could spare if you live anywhere near central Maryland. Otherwise, read the classifieds for people getting rid of hens. Not chicks, rooster would probably kill them. One or two is all you need.

If there is a 4H group in your area they might could help you. Or check the ag center.

And as previously suggested....read the archives for the Hen House.

BTW, our rooster is sporting a lovely pair of spurs and has a great disposition. Then again, we keep the pecking order well established with us on top. A swift kick does wonders.

-- Heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), December 07, 2000.

PS: I forgot to mention that our rooster has 25 ladies to keep him busy.

-- Heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), December 07, 2000.