Yes, he's been hiding a lot, but the chaos that the cockerels were instigating had to be stopped, and so the others were rehomed. The hens are much calmer now.
The good news, of sorts, is there's a second hatch about 6 weeks younger, and I will probably keep one of the boys as a back up...
It's hard growing up. Martha did a wonderful job with her five. Once they were about 6 weeks old she went from loving to tolerating, and finally rejecting. They looked so confused when she pecked them.
I'm a bit new to this, have only had my current flock for 14 months. Theoretically I have no issue dispatching an animal that is suffering or that is a liability. But it's a bit different having a pet euthanized by a vet versus doing it myself.
Samuel was the first chicken I personally killed...
My rooster was crowing after dark yesterday. I was surprised, went outside to see why, and then I heard our neighbor's children screaming as part of their play outside, sounded like shrieking. No wonder Samuel felt he had to reply! :lol:
I have kept my own cats as indoor only for the last 35 years. They're healthier, and live longer lives. I've seen dead cats by the side of the road, and I've watched helplessly as one was deliberately run over...it's not pretty.
I have also fed ferals, but did TNR (trap, neuter, release) to...
We have so many feral cats, hawks, loose dogs, raccoons, opossums, foxes, and coyotes that I decided to keep my 9 bantams confined in a 16'x8' hoop coop.
Don't even think about it...