Strange behavior sort of

[Ponyiqandhens2]

Timmy is a seabright roo managing a flock that includes a seabright hen,3 very uniform Easter eggers,a black astralorp ,a Mille fleur d'uccle and possibly a oeg bantam
They were raised together
Several weeks ago the oeg was no longer allowed to roost with the girls( free range, the roost in the garage attached to house on shelves way up and an old refrigerator, there are multiple roost bars/ boards of assorted widths

They don't use the nesting boxes instead have essentially created nests

The oeg bantam and the d'uccle have always been far more independent ,curious, friendly and strong ability to fly.

So, the oeg,cicely is not part of the flock anymore but Timmy still slips off and gives treats to her.he runs around to check on her then goes back to the flock.
He is a great protector he alerts to air born predators and anything others the hens start moving the first moment he starts to speak.

The strange behavior the hens will lay with the barn cats in their nests ( the cats actually run to Timmy when he alerts as if to say let me at them)

The hens have also developed a love of canned cat food.. but is it unusual for a rooster to still take car of a henthats not part of the flock?

 

[azygous]

That's very interesting. I can't say how unusual this is as it would involve knowing a lot more about the individual personalities in the flock and how they interact.

It does speak very well of Timmy the Rooster.

 

[3KillerBs]

Has she been driven away from the flock or has she gone off on her own to find a good place to raise babies?

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

That's very interesting. I can't say how unusual this is as it would involve knowing a lot more about the individual personalities in the flock and how they interact.

It does speak very well of Timmy the Rooster.

The flock was raised together, same age with one week difference .Blue- blue astralorp,Timmy-golden seabright, farrah-golden seabright hen, Isley,red,olive - Easter eggers, floof Mille fleur d'uccle. She has a slight foot deformity since she was a day old..

Cicely- bantam smallest of all my bantam ( been told oeg,speckled sussex bantam so note sure very small)

They started free ranging at 10-11 weeks when the bantam starting flying over the 5'6 fencing around their pen..

Cicely was always more curious and independent.. Timmy would chase after her and tell her to go back.. he has become less fussy and more confident In his job.

Cicely will stay on the edge of the flock but I routinely find her out of sight of the flock. She built the nest the flock now prefers,she started nesting on the fridge while rest roosted in the coop now she will get run off if she tries to go up there..so she has found new roosting places too high for the heavier standards

She also has started running into the house, but thankfully has not found the cat door. She has never been in the house excepting the brooder box

I have seen Blue peck her, but only when they roost.i keep food out at all times ( nutrena nature wise all flock) they get meal worms when I call them to me, veg/fruit occassionally...and if they can run the old retired barn cats off their canned food ..

They literally are on the move most of the day with two rest periods.. cicely is sometimes on the edge but most likely she can be found on a completely different part of the property.

My flock wakes and deroost around 430 a m Timmy crows at 330 ( I am fairly certain that he has learned this in response to my alarms..my alarm goes off at 330 I feed horses at 430 leave at 5 am ) they roost at sundown except cicely who will hang out help feed horses etc then go roost

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

Has she been driven away from the flock or has she gone off on her own to find a good place to raise babies?

I don't know she built the nest sort of that the flock now uses.. but she still lays there

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

Cicely sort of made the nest the whole flock uses now. She was the first to roost on the fridge where she is no longer allowed