I am a new flock keeper. I have spent hours reading here. Especially about cockerels and roosters. This is a precious place. I have learned everything I've needed so far here. I appreciate and pay most attention to folks that have been here a long time.
I
I got my chicks back towards the beginning of the pandemic having read too many post apocalyptic novels.
Seriously should stop that.
I had 4 cockerels and 20 pullets.
At 6 months, I moved the smallest, shyest, lowest in the rooster pecking order out along with 4 pullets because I thought he'd end up being one of the 2 I'd keep.
I thought I'd end up with 2 based off of everything I'd read here about people trying to have a harmonious flock with multiple roosters. Seems it's possible but not the rule.
I ended up with 2 of the 3 other cockerels tidbitting, trying to stare everything down, and flying at people on the regular. I tried numerous things including a couple of behaviors like picking them up and walking around with them in my arms, and holding my hand down on top of their backs for a few seconds. Read about that here. I'd rejected the more violent ideas right out. I read some more and I now think that the things I'd tried triggered and deepened the agression. These guys became a huge problem after attacking my tenant. More than once. She was really scared of them.
I decided to cull the 2 meanest ones. I asked my neighbor to show me how to butcher them and in exchange I'd give her one to eat herself. When I got them over there, she thought they were so big and pretty, she wanted to keep hers alive. Okay. His lucky day.
I made soup out of the other. Wasn't easy.
Hope it gets easier in the future. But I think it's going to always be difficult. Maybe it should be. I don't know, but I DO know I'll never be callous about it.
I have 2 left. One with 16 girls and the other with 4 for now, in 2 seperate coops/runs.
I must admit that the entire bigger flock is so placid and MUCH calmer. I guess I didn't realize how stressed out the girls were with those 3 brash dudes throwing their weight around until there was just one pretty okay one left.
The one in the smaller coop "Hazel" (I know it's a girls name but Umbrella Academy on Netflix is all I have to say about that) and run is starting to tidbit and pace all "cocky" like but has not progressed in his aggression. I am practicing ignoring him without giving way.
The other "Cha Cha" keeps his distance, he's pretty mellow, and stays out of my way in spite of me picking up his girls and seeing to them while they squawk in front of him. He gets upset but doesn't act out so I think he's maturing?
Couple weeks ago I made the mistake of letting both flocks out at the same time on a quarter acre. After a bit, I turned round and they were fighting. I let them (I'd read here it's better to sort things put amongst themselves?) until it got really bloody and neither were giving in. I waded in and separated them. Saw to their cuts by rinsing w water and triple antibiotic. Neither fought me and I comforted them with my voice and pets.
They are 7 months old.
They are both good to the girls. I want them for breeding but only NEED one. They are New Hampshire Reds.
Anybody know when I will for sure know they are "mature" roosters? Is it a year or is it longer with this breed?
I mostly posted all this because I'm new to all this and telling a bit about my journey might be helpful to others trying to navigate their own way with managing cockerels and pullets all at the same time. Cockerels are a WHOLE nother world.
Knowing what I know now, I think it's really smart to start your first year without a rooster and get a good one from somebody else after a year. There are so many nice ones out there that need a flock of their own.
If anybody has questions about anything, I'll do my best to answer. I think we all end up finding our own positions and philosophies as we learn.
I
I got my chicks back towards the beginning of the pandemic having read too many post apocalyptic novels.
Seriously should stop that.
I had 4 cockerels and 20 pullets.
At 6 months, I moved the smallest, shyest, lowest in the rooster pecking order out along with 4 pullets because I thought he'd end up being one of the 2 I'd keep.
I thought I'd end up with 2 based off of everything I'd read here about people trying to have a harmonious flock with multiple roosters. Seems it's possible but not the rule.
I ended up with 2 of the 3 other cockerels tidbitting, trying to stare everything down, and flying at people on the regular. I tried numerous things including a couple of behaviors like picking them up and walking around with them in my arms, and holding my hand down on top of their backs for a few seconds. Read about that here. I'd rejected the more violent ideas right out. I read some more and I now think that the things I'd tried triggered and deepened the agression. These guys became a huge problem after attacking my tenant. More than once. She was really scared of them.
I decided to cull the 2 meanest ones. I asked my neighbor to show me how to butcher them and in exchange I'd give her one to eat herself. When I got them over there, she thought they were so big and pretty, she wanted to keep hers alive. Okay. His lucky day.
I made soup out of the other. Wasn't easy.
Hope it gets easier in the future. But I think it's going to always be difficult. Maybe it should be. I don't know, but I DO know I'll never be callous about it.
I have 2 left. One with 16 girls and the other with 4 for now, in 2 seperate coops/runs.
I must admit that the entire bigger flock is so placid and MUCH calmer. I guess I didn't realize how stressed out the girls were with those 3 brash dudes throwing their weight around until there was just one pretty okay one left.
The one in the smaller coop "Hazel" (I know it's a girls name but Umbrella Academy on Netflix is all I have to say about that) and run is starting to tidbit and pace all "cocky" like but has not progressed in his aggression. I am practicing ignoring him without giving way.
The other "Cha Cha" keeps his distance, he's pretty mellow, and stays out of my way in spite of me picking up his girls and seeing to them while they squawk in front of him. He gets upset but doesn't act out so I think he's maturing?
Couple weeks ago I made the mistake of letting both flocks out at the same time on a quarter acre. After a bit, I turned round and they were fighting. I let them (I'd read here it's better to sort things put amongst themselves?) until it got really bloody and neither were giving in. I waded in and separated them. Saw to their cuts by rinsing w water and triple antibiotic. Neither fought me and I comforted them with my voice and pets.
They are 7 months old.
They are both good to the girls. I want them for breeding but only NEED one. They are New Hampshire Reds.
Anybody know when I will for sure know they are "mature" roosters? Is it a year or is it longer with this breed?
I mostly posted all this because I'm new to all this and telling a bit about my journey might be helpful to others trying to navigate their own way with managing cockerels and pullets all at the same time. Cockerels are a WHOLE nother world.
Knowing what I know now, I think it's really smart to start your first year without a rooster and get a good one from somebody else after a year. There are so many nice ones out there that need a flock of their own.
If anybody has questions about anything, I'll do my best to answer. I think we all end up finding our own positions and philosophies as we learn.
