How To Catch An Injuried Feral Rooster? Help!!

[HannahL]

Hi everyone! I volunteer at a horse rescue nearby and at the rescue there is a small bantam rooster and four hens. I can catch the four hens without much trouble but the rooster has always been very wild, he won't even go into his coop at night and usually sleeps in with the goat. He's always had a little bit of trouble with his leg, but recently it's gotten really bad. He won't place the foot on the ground unless he absolutely has to and mostly just flies or hops on one foot when he has to move. I scheduled an appointment at the vet's office for Tuesday at 4:00 P.M. However, we're going to go and pick him up at the rescue on Sunday. There are going to be around four people there to help catch him. We are just going to transport him in a cat carrier. I'm planning on keeping him in a dog crate inside of my coop with my two hens until his appointment. That way he isn't totally isolated for two or three days, but he also can't get to my hens. I also figured that it could maybe start to get my hens used to having a male around, since we are considering getting a rooster for my flock. So, I suppose my question is what is the easiest, safest, and fastest way to catch the rooster and also if putting him in the crate in my coop is a good idea, or if I should keep him isolated? Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

 

[sannabelle]

Hello!! If I were you- I would wait until he goes in with the goat for bed time, and then grab him from there. Usually after they roost for the evening they are easy to scoop up. If that isn’t an option you may want to try a large net- he won’t love it but it will be over quickly enough if you can’t get close enough to catch him by hand.

I wouldn’t put him anywhere near your existing personal chickens- never know if he could be harboring something. I’d keep him in his crate in a completely separate quarantine space, and just make sure he has food and water

Best of luck!!

 

[MNChickMom]

Ditto what Dana Bella said.

 

[micstrachan]

X3

 

[HannahL]

Thank you guys so much! I think that the net is a good idea since even when he is roosting he is extremely hard to catch and the goat moving around when we entered would probably wake him up. I didn't even think about the fact that he might have some diseases or something. I'll probably keep the dog crate inside the house or in the garage maybe. I'm sure that he will be fine being alone for a couple of days.