Gonda
Songster
- Nov 14, 2009
- 191
- 18
- 174
I'm wondering if we have more roosters than we thought we did. We thought we had our hens and roosters all sorted out and thought we were left with one RIR rooster and 13 hens. The RIR rooster has been crowing for a few months, and the hens have been laying for a few months, and some longer. We've been getting a maximum of 10 eggs a day. Now I'm suddenly noticing that our Jersey Giant has that tail plumage. Is she a he? I have never heard him/her crow, but today did hear something like an adolescent crow, maybe. I believe s/he/it is about the same age as the RIR rooster. Is there such a thing as a late bloomer, or is there variation among breeds in maturing, developing the tail plumage and the crowing? I have never seen him/her approach a hen for any "favours". But doesn't this look like a rooster?
And I've been wondering about the Cochin, who has been after the hens the last two weeks, in typical male fashion, i.e. jumping on them. Today s/he/it jumped on a hen and plucked her neck feathers. Does the cochin look like a rooster? I didn't think so, but the behaviour is making me wonder.
The cochin and Jersey Giant have been kind of ostracized by the rest of the hens (mostly brown hens), even sitting in the second roosting row. They're both good natured and fend for themselves. The hens and RIR rooster haven't allowed the cochin to eat with them, and the black Jersey has been a bit more successful, but had a rough start with them. I haven't seen either of them ever sitting in a laying nest.
I'm noticing that the dynamics in the coop and in the run have changed in the last week. We had a broody hen on 5 eggs and the chicks hatched a week ago, and I noticed that the RIR rooster and the Cochin were lying next to the enclosure where the chicks and their mama were staying. I had never seen them do anything like that before i.e. they're always up on their feet and active. I then also began to notice that the Cochin seemed to be tolerated within the group. S/he/it is now allowed to sit on the first roosting ranks with the brown hens, and is allowed to come close to eat scraps thrown over the fence. Typically s/he/it could be located in one specific area in the run, and now is all over the run, even lying down near the mama with chicks outside - again, new behaviour. Is it normal to see changes in the group dynamics when chicks come on the scene? Does a rooster "know" something? Is it possible (assuming the cochin might be a rooster) that "his" status would change in the group when there are chicks?
I'm finding this all very interesting and really enjoy watching the chicks, the mama, the other hens and the "roosters" or ? whatever they are. Any comments, insights? Are these two lovely birds roosters?
And I've been wondering about the Cochin, who has been after the hens the last two weeks, in typical male fashion, i.e. jumping on them. Today s/he/it jumped on a hen and plucked her neck feathers. Does the cochin look like a rooster? I didn't think so, but the behaviour is making me wonder.
The cochin and Jersey Giant have been kind of ostracized by the rest of the hens (mostly brown hens), even sitting in the second roosting row. They're both good natured and fend for themselves. The hens and RIR rooster haven't allowed the cochin to eat with them, and the black Jersey has been a bit more successful, but had a rough start with them. I haven't seen either of them ever sitting in a laying nest.
I'm noticing that the dynamics in the coop and in the run have changed in the last week. We had a broody hen on 5 eggs and the chicks hatched a week ago, and I noticed that the RIR rooster and the Cochin were lying next to the enclosure where the chicks and their mama were staying. I had never seen them do anything like that before i.e. they're always up on their feet and active. I then also began to notice that the Cochin seemed to be tolerated within the group. S/he/it is now allowed to sit on the first roosting ranks with the brown hens, and is allowed to come close to eat scraps thrown over the fence. Typically s/he/it could be located in one specific area in the run, and now is all over the run, even lying down near the mama with chicks outside - again, new behaviour. Is it normal to see changes in the group dynamics when chicks come on the scene? Does a rooster "know" something? Is it possible (assuming the cochin might be a rooster) that "his" status would change in the group when there are chicks?
I'm finding this all very interesting and really enjoy watching the chicks, the mama, the other hens and the "roosters" or ? whatever they are. Any comments, insights? Are these two lovely birds roosters?
