Enchanted1s
Songster
Hi BYC Friends!
So - we are just starting our second year with our poultry. It has been quite a ride so far. Without going into our long story about how we got to hear - I will just get to the question(s). In our newly forming flock, we have -
- Tootie - our first little chicken that flew into our yard and chose us. She is just over a year old now. Tiny little lady - 3 pounds
- LittleBit & Gracey Lynn - Crested Cream Legbar Hens. Arrived at 2 days old on 29 Nov 17. Just started laying in April. 5ish pounds
- Buffey - Buff Orpington Hen - arrived with the Cream Legbars. 5ish pounds.
- BlueBoy - Crested Cream Legbar Cockerel - 10 weeks old. - 32oz
- Blacky & Brownie - Black Sexlink Pullets - 10 weeks old - 36oz
- Whitey - Unknown Breed - Approximately 7 Weeks old. Replaced what was sold to us as a 55 Flowery Pullet that started crowing. She is a sweaty, but MUCH smaller than the 10 week olds. 17oz
So - that is our forming flock. My question today is about BlueBoy. We bought him when he was just a few days old. He was put in the brooder with the others his age and loved and raised in the run - where they could be seen and heard by the older girls - but not touched. How is he supposed to learn how to be a good rooster and take care of ALL the girls. He has no other rooster around to teach him. So far, he is a big wuss! He runs and hides at the first sign of trouble! He is finally starting to show some signs of wanting to protect little Whitey, but for the most part - he is a scaredy cat. I think he needs to go to Rooster School or something! LOL But seriously, is there anything that we should (or should not) do for him?
We have just begun integrating them. The littles are allowed out in the yard with the big girls for a bit in the morning and again in the evening - while supervised. It looks like the older hens are challenging him. All the feathers on his neck stand on end and he really tries to stand his ground, but 9 times out of 10 he will tuck tail and run. Are the big girls going to pick on him until he is fully grown? Are we doing the right thing trying to integrate them this young? He has always been on the small side - what if he ends up being the smallest in the flock? Will he still be their night in shining armor?
We had a rooster that was an excellent protector, but we sold him to make room for BlueBoy. I am now concerned that we probably should have kept him around until BlueBoy grew up?
Thanks for your input.
So - we are just starting our second year with our poultry. It has been quite a ride so far. Without going into our long story about how we got to hear - I will just get to the question(s). In our newly forming flock, we have -
- Tootie - our first little chicken that flew into our yard and chose us. She is just over a year old now. Tiny little lady - 3 pounds
- LittleBit & Gracey Lynn - Crested Cream Legbar Hens. Arrived at 2 days old on 29 Nov 17. Just started laying in April. 5ish pounds
- Buffey - Buff Orpington Hen - arrived with the Cream Legbars. 5ish pounds.
- BlueBoy - Crested Cream Legbar Cockerel - 10 weeks old. - 32oz
- Blacky & Brownie - Black Sexlink Pullets - 10 weeks old - 36oz
- Whitey - Unknown Breed - Approximately 7 Weeks old. Replaced what was sold to us as a 55 Flowery Pullet that started crowing. She is a sweaty, but MUCH smaller than the 10 week olds. 17oz
So - that is our forming flock. My question today is about BlueBoy. We bought him when he was just a few days old. He was put in the brooder with the others his age and loved and raised in the run - where they could be seen and heard by the older girls - but not touched. How is he supposed to learn how to be a good rooster and take care of ALL the girls. He has no other rooster around to teach him. So far, he is a big wuss! He runs and hides at the first sign of trouble! He is finally starting to show some signs of wanting to protect little Whitey, but for the most part - he is a scaredy cat. I think he needs to go to Rooster School or something! LOL But seriously, is there anything that we should (or should not) do for him?
We have just begun integrating them. The littles are allowed out in the yard with the big girls for a bit in the morning and again in the evening - while supervised. It looks like the older hens are challenging him. All the feathers on his neck stand on end and he really tries to stand his ground, but 9 times out of 10 he will tuck tail and run. Are the big girls going to pick on him until he is fully grown? Are we doing the right thing trying to integrate them this young? He has always been on the small side - what if he ends up being the smallest in the flock? Will he still be their night in shining armor?
We had a rooster that was an excellent protector, but we sold him to make room for BlueBoy. I am now concerned that we probably should have kept him around until BlueBoy grew up?
Thanks for your input.