I'm noticing a couple interesting patterns in the interactions between my dogs and some of the roosters. Two dogs are free-range all the time and three others are rotated in terms of when they are out at night, and when not out at night they are allowed to run for a couple hours each day. There are three cockerels in full adult feather that free-range as well as several more that are penned.
Yesterday, two of the free-range roosters started fighting so Honey, one of the full-time on the loose dogs began following them around for hours getting on top of the birds everytime that started making sustained contact. That would break them up and they would move a bit before trying to resume. Honey was effectively pushing the battle all over the yard making so they could not really do each other harm. Honey has gotten better, in the past she would up and kill one and the fighting would stop.
The other deal involves one of the penned roosters and the dogs that are rotated. The rooster is a new one that just came out of quarantine. The rotated dogs want to harass him but not the other penned birds or the chickens that are free-range. The dogs are treating that one rooster differently.
Yesterday, two of the free-range roosters started fighting so Honey, one of the full-time on the loose dogs began following them around for hours getting on top of the birds everytime that started making sustained contact. That would break them up and they would move a bit before trying to resume. Honey was effectively pushing the battle all over the yard making so they could not really do each other harm. Honey has gotten better, in the past she would up and kill one and the fighting would stop.
The other deal involves one of the penned roosters and the dogs that are rotated. The rooster is a new one that just came out of quarantine. The rotated dogs want to harass him but not the other penned birds or the chickens that are free-range. The dogs are treating that one rooster differently.