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  1. sjane74

    Hens picking on new rooster - how to handle?

    Thanks for the feedback! He is about 8 months old. I guess I panicked too soon. The second night, instead of cowering in a corner of the coop, Bruce perched on the second tier of the roost. So I was hopeful. Then last night, our big Brahma hen was demoted to the second tier and Bruce was on the...
  2. sjane74

    Hens picking on new rooster - how to handle?

    Hello! We have an established flock of 7 hens. Our next-door neighbor had 3 roosters to their 10 hens, and the roosters were constantly sparring, so we offered to take one on. He's a beautiful, healthy bantam/Silkie cross, on the smaller side. 8 months old. We kept "Bruce" in an enclosed pen...
  3. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Thank you!
  4. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    By the way, anyone have an idea of what breed the rooster is? Pics on the first page of this thread. Is he a leghorn?
  5. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    One Chick Two - thanks for the "roo-whispering" tips! I definitely don't think the roo was well socialized living next door. We do plan to work with him a bit...my husband is building a small pen for him right now so he can learn he has a new home base. I hope it all works out. I can't imagine...
  6. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Well that is interesting. Sounds like things get pretty lively over at your place! "Henry" is very set on demonstrating his king-liness, I guess. When he hears me walking to the coop in the morning, he runs over from wherever he is and waits. Then when my pullets start running out of the pen, he...
  7. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    FlybyBirds - Yes, that's what we are hoping, that he can help protect our girls. As far as free ranging, we're still in experimental mode. We've already lost one because she wandered off too far and never returned home. :( The other 7 stick together pretty closely and seem to reserve their...
  8. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    centrarchid - Thanks again for all your advice. My husband finally agreed to build the roo a small pen. Hopefully this week. For now he is doing his usual thing - strolls over to our coop at 5am or so and crows, then hangs out by my girls. When I first let them out in the morning, he chases them...
  9. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Centrarchid - thanks again. one more ? If you don't mind: you mentioned putting him in a separate pen. Is that because they are only pullets or is that typical practice to have a separate pen?
  10. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Is it too late for my husband and me to assert ourselves at the "top" of the pecking order? Maybe I already have...today he trotted away from me when I walked outside. Also, would 7 chickens be considered too few for one rooster? Seems I have always read there should be at least 10-15 chickens...
  11. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Ok, here are pics of "Henry" and my girls. The last picture is what I find every morning when I go outside!
  12. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Ok I guess that didn't work. Will have to try it when I get home.
  13. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Thanks. I don't have a pic of them all together, but here is the rooster and my girls. Not sure how old he is, I can ask. I'm guessing 2 or 3 years old.
  14. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Thank you, centrarchid. I do appreciate the information and different perspective, because as you can see I am new to chicken-keeping. Yes, sorry for not using the correct terminology. They are pullets, not yet laying eggs. My initial thought when he started coming around was, "Great! This roo...
  15. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Thanks, BigRedRoo, that might be an option.
  16. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    Thank you for the responses. I figure animal control, if they take him at all, would just euthanize him. So we could spare him the terror of being hauled off by just offing him quickly. My husband was ready to shoot it three days ago! I keep telling myself it's the most practical solution and...
  17. sjane74

    Help! Neighbor's rooster tormenting my girls.

    I am hoping to get some objective advice on this situation. We moved into our home last year. Now we have 7 young hens. We have a coop and enclosed run for them, but for a few hours a day we let them free-range around the backyard; they don't stray too far from the coop. I am home all day and...
  18. sjane74

    Is my Polish girl in trouble?

    Thank you very much, I appreciate the links! I let my chicken back into the main coop last night, and this morning I can still feel her crop but it's much, much smaller. Keeping my fingers crossed and a close eye on her.
  19. sjane74

    Is my Polish girl in trouble?

    Thanks for the tips! Oddly, she was vaccinated against Marek's as a chick, but I guess that isn't a foolproof solution.
  20. sjane74

    Is my Polish girl in trouble?

    Thank you for responding to my post. When I first noticed the problem, her crop was alarmingly huge and squishy - the size of an orange. Now, after several days with no grains at all - just soft, mushy foods and olive oil - the crop is much smaller, about the size of a large olive. But it does...
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