I had 7 hens.... now I have 6.... and the 1 roo..... Not enough hens for 1 roo.....
There was one hen in particular he was badgering... she was the one that laid an egg daily.... he would follow her and mate every chance he got.... He also tried or did mate with everyone else at least once a day... I think the hens, being antagonized, wouldn't lay eggs....
So I built a quarantine pen.... Went to put it in the chicken run this AM and found her dead.... I was too late....
Here is his temporary new home..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...arantine-box-multi-purpose-cage#post_14207414
I have locked up the coop, all they have is the run, so the chickens would learn the roo was not going to harass them.....
It is working.... for the past 2 hours, the hens have been acting like very relaxed hens... scratching and socializing... I am totally amazed....
After their morning breakfast they used to head to the coop and hide in the nest boxes or the roosts... only to come out in the afternoon for another snack...
They talk to roo through the wire... He shows them his feeder and clucks.... they can't get in.... that's a good thing...
He's on 20% feed and in a few weeks he should be ready for the stew pot... He most certainly is not running the 20 miles a day he did before chasing the girls in and out of the coop and around the run...
I should know in a couple weeks if the hens will start laying.... I think it will take that long for their metabolism to get realigned from the harassment they were experiencing....
Anyone know how long before egg laying should start....
Since I am new to chicken raising, I did not realize how tough a rooster could be on hens.... He's not mean, doesn't pull feathers, doesn't peck.... Just demands that he be serviced about 15 times a day...
There was one hen in particular he was badgering... she was the one that laid an egg daily.... he would follow her and mate every chance he got.... He also tried or did mate with everyone else at least once a day... I think the hens, being antagonized, wouldn't lay eggs....
So I built a quarantine pen.... Went to put it in the chicken run this AM and found her dead.... I was too late....
Here is his temporary new home..... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...arantine-box-multi-purpose-cage#post_14207414
I have locked up the coop, all they have is the run, so the chickens would learn the roo was not going to harass them.....
It is working.... for the past 2 hours, the hens have been acting like very relaxed hens... scratching and socializing... I am totally amazed....
After their morning breakfast they used to head to the coop and hide in the nest boxes or the roosts... only to come out in the afternoon for another snack...
They talk to roo through the wire... He shows them his feeder and clucks.... they can't get in.... that's a good thing...
He's on 20% feed and in a few weeks he should be ready for the stew pot... He most certainly is not running the 20 miles a day he did before chasing the girls in and out of the coop and around the run...
I should know in a couple weeks if the hens will start laying.... I think it will take that long for their metabolism to get realigned from the harassment they were experiencing....
Anyone know how long before egg laying should start....
Since I am new to chicken raising, I did not realize how tough a rooster could be on hens.... He's not mean, doesn't pull feathers, doesn't peck.... Just demands that he be serviced about 15 times a day...
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