# Big Daddy Rooster!



## sandra (Sep 2, 2012)

The cutest thing. I often wondered what my rooster thought about all the other birds we have. He is our original founding rooster, so all new birds have been introduced into the flock as day old babies. I know what he thinks about the chicken hens! But I wondered what he thinks about the other birds. The turkeys and the guineas. Now I know. He thinks he is the bug daddy to all the birds. The turkeys are bigger than him now. But to today I saw him feeding the Tom turkey! My rooster Blackie was feeding the Tom turkey beak to beak! I also saw Blackie spread out his wings over the baby guineas as they crowded around his feet during a light rain. He didn't sit down on them like a hen, but used his wings like an umbrella. I never knew a rooster would do that. Really cool to see. He stands so proud over all the birds. We have 17 guinea keets, two teenage turkeys and three five week old turkey chicks, three adult chicken hens, and two chicken pullets. Blackie is about 1 1/2 years old now. I just love that bird! Have any of you guys seen a rooster act like this?


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Yep! Your bird sounds like a real keeper and a good flock master! I've had some mighty good roosters in my life and many of them do the same thing..very gentle with the babies and a solicitous attitude to other birds.

I had a WR rooster someone gave me that wanted to brood some CX chicks I had so I finally opened the brooder and let him do it. He looked so silly trying to fit 54 meat chicks under his wings but he just fussed so about roosting by himself, kept getting in the nest boxes and trying to call them up there, that I felt sorry for him and let him get in the brooder.

Here he is...Mr. Mom (Rudy).


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## jennifer (May 14, 2013)

That's awesome!!


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## sandra (Sep 2, 2012)

Bee said:


> Yep! Your bird sounds like a real keeper and a good flock master! I've had some mighty good roosters in my life and many of them do the same thing..very gentle with the babies and a solicitous attitude to other birds.
> 
> I had a WR rooster someone gave me that wanted to brood some CX chicks I had so I finally opened the brooder and let him do it. He looked so silly trying to fit 54 meat chicks under his wings but he just fussed so about roosting by himself, kept getting in the nest boxes and trying to call them up there, that I felt sorry for him and let him get in the brooder.
> 
> Here he is...Mr. Mom (Rudy).


OMG, so very cute! I got some photos but on my phone. Will have to figure out how to get on iPad and on here. My rooster is a Jersey Giant. He is all white but has one very long jet black tail feather, hence the name Blackie.


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## sandra (Sep 2, 2012)

I just find it amazing how roosters with such reputations of being rough and tough and people being so scared of them and here are the softer more nurturing loving side people don't see.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

They do have a duality about their nature that is hard to understand at times. This rooster in the pics didn't have any adult hens at the time, so his behavior towards the chicks was driven by his innate need to socialize and care for a flock...unfortunately his lack of appropriate mates and his young age led to him trying to mate with these chicks when they were around 4 wks old. Not good. 

He also taught them some bad drinking habits which resulted in 3 of the chicks dying in the dog's water bucket. Between the sex and the drinking, Rudy was starting to be a bad influence on the youngsters. 

Rudy was quickly removed from the chick's life at that point.... and they became very self sufficient in their orphaned existence.


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## wademach1977 (Apr 13, 2013)

I have a game rooster and a Colombian rooster that are good sheperds of their flock.


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## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

Bee said:


> They do have a duality about their nature that is hard to understand at times. This rooster in the pics didn't have any adult hens at the time, so his behavior towards the chicks was driven by his innate need to socialize and care for a flock...unfortunately his lack of appropriate mates and his young age led to him trying to mate with these chicks when they were around 4 wks old. Not good.
> 
> He also taught them some bad drinking habits which resulted in 3 of the chicks dying in the dog's water bucket. Between the sex and the drinking, Rudy was starting to be a bad influence on the youngsters.
> 
> Rudy was quickly removed from the chick's life at that point.... and they became very self sufficient in their orphaned existence.


Hahaha! Oh that's funny! I Mean sad that you lost chicks but its funny how you said it.

How come people advise against having roosters with little guys?


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Because they imagine that a rooster will be aggressive to them...I've never once seen that in action, especially in new chicks. The only time you will see a rooster enforcing the pecking order on young birds/chicks will be at the feeder...and the other hens that are not the mama will do that also.


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## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

Mine were incubated, but I accidentally let a hen into the area where they are and she pecked and chased them but, she was probably looking at food.


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## sandra (Sep 2, 2012)

Actually I haven't seen any aggression toward any new birds from older birds other than at the food dish and never from the rooster even at the food dish.


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## leviparker (Jun 13, 2013)

sandra said:


> Actually I haven't seen any aggression toward any new birds from older birds other than at the food dish and never from the rooster even at the food dish.


Wow. That's good


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