Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[Bicudo]

Thanks guys,

Sorry to hear about your eggs are not working out. All that care, love and effort I understand how upsetting and frustrating it is.

My wife dropped Mabel off this morning and was told she didn't look like a rooster however there was certainly crowing from her/him in the coop when we got up this morning.
My wife watched as they put Mabel in a pen with some other chooks only to see Mabel pinned to the ground and viciously attacked by the others in there. Needless to say she was pretty upset and in tears by the time I spoke to her.

We're now wondering if we've done the right thing and if there's anyway we could have been wrong about her being a rooster - I've uploaded pics of the girls here https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chook-dreams so if anyone can advise that would be greatly appreciated. If the census is that we were wrong I'll be planning a coop break for her.

It's silly how attached we've got to this little chook and we'd hate to think that through our in experience we've caused her some harm.

 

[Kitten7981]

I'm the first to admit I'm not an expert on chooks, but i'd bet money on her being a chicken and not a rooster by the way she looks...

She/he may be a late developer though and if it crows it's certainly not a girl... :/

Keep us posted as to how you go...

 

[satay]

Mabel looks like a hen to me. I can't say for sure on dot as i can't see the back of her. Hens will sometimes crow if there is no rooster. I know nothing about silkies so could not say if one of those is your crower. I guess you will have to see if the crowing stops now ,mable has gone.

 

[Bicudo]

Just had it confirmed and how shall I put it... Rooster approved. Mabel's a Mabel. We'll be picking her back up tomorrow and bringing her home where she belongs. Will spend tonight doing a deep dive through the archives here to see if there's anything we can do to stop the crowing. Tomorrow will mostly be spent showering her with love and attention. It was suggested that we put her in an esky each night to stop the crowing but I'm not entirely convinced by that.

Thanks for all your kind words and helpful advice over the last few hours. Non chook owners just don't seem to get it or understand but our girls have fast become a big part of our family and the thought of loosing one of them was quite upsetting.

On the up side I've learnt something else new from this experience and I'm sure the learnings arn't going to stop here.

 

[satay]

Yah so Mable is a girl? I think thats what you mean. So cool that she is coming back home. You are sure right that non chicken owners don't get it. My brother is a city guy and he would die if he had to live in the country lol.His big pet is a budgie. One of my cousin's friends calls me chicken Kym. lol I think poultry Kym would be far more appropriate lol.
As to keeping her Mabel quiet you can seperate her at night in one of the Cat carry cages and cover with a towel of feed bag to keep out as much light as possible. My roosters crow all night even at 3am as hubby heads off to work. Mind you i never hear them .

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Hi, i have just gotten a RIR red rooster, Ive heard that if you put him in a cage where he cant lift up his head to crow it will stop him crowing, is this true if so I'm definitely doing it.

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Thanks guys,

Sorry to hear about your eggs are not working out. All that care, love and effort I understand how upsetting and frustrating it is.

My wife dropped Mabel off this morning and was told she didn't look like a rooster however there was certainly crowing from her/him in the coop when we got up this morning.
My wife watched as they put Mabel in a pen with some other chooks only to see Mabel pinned to the ground and viciously attacked by the others in there. Needless to say she was pretty upset and in tears by the time I spoke to her.

We're now wondering if we've done the right thing and if there's anyway we could have been wrong about her being a rooster - I've uploaded pics of the girls here https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chook-dreams so if anyone can advise that would be greatly appreciated. If the census is that we were wrong I'll be planning a coop break for her.

It's silly how attached we've got to this little chook and we'd hate to think that through our in experience we've caused her some harm.

What has happened to the 2 other hens you where offered???

 

[qldchook]

Just had it confirmed and how shall I put it... Rooster approved. Mabel's a Mabel. We'll be picking her back up tomorrow and bringing her home where she belongs.

Will spend tonight doing a deep dive through the archives here to see if there's anything we can do to stop the crowing. Tomorrow will mostly be spent showering her with love and attention. It was suggested that we put her in an esky each night to stop the crowing but I'm not entirely convinced by that.
Thanks for all your kind words and helpful advice over the last few hours. Non chook owners just don't seem to get it or understand but our girls have fast become a big part of our family and the thought of loosing one of them was quite upsetting.
On the up side I've learnt something else new from this experience and I'm sure the learnings arn't going to stop here.

I looked at pics and thought hen as well so happy you have her back. She will need chooky psych now! I keep all my chooks in big woden snake proof box at night (see my album)- small ventiliation limits crow noise but my hen/rooster did not crow much at all. YAY for Mabel, happy she is back.

 

[Bicudo]

You guys are awesome, I love that I stumbled upon this sight before we got our girls. It's been a source of much needed knowledge, resources and people in the know.

Cluckcluckluke - we would have been offered a replacement chook from the place we brought Mabel from as they have a no rooster guarantee. We would then have brought additional chook too as I've hear introducing a single chook to an established flock makes her an easy target and after what my wife witnessed with Mabel when she was returned this morning I can see why.

qidchook - we're searching planning on spoiling her rotten when she gets home tomorrow. I'm even considering sleeping in the coop to make sure she gets a good night sleep.

satay - Yeah Mabel's been confirmed as a girl. She was introduced to her first rooster today and he did his little love dance and got a little frisky. She's only been crowing in the morning so I thin separating her and keeping her in the dark for a little longer is probably going to be the best way to deal with it for now.

 

[satay]

You guys are awesome,  I love that I stumbled upon this sight before we got our girls.  It's been a source of much needed knowledge, resources and people in the know.

Cluckcluckluke - we would have been offered a replacement chook from the place we brought Mabel from as they have a no rooster guarantee.  We would then have brought additional chook too  as I've hear introducing a single chook to an established flock makes her an easy target and after what my wife witnessed with Mabel when she was returned this morning I can see why.

qidchook - we're searching planning on spoiling her rotten when she gets home tomorrow. I'm even considering sleeping in the coop to make sure she gets a good night sleep.

satay - Yeah Mabel's been confirmed as a girl. She was introduced to her first rooster today and he did his little love dance and got a little frisky.  She's only been crowing in the morning so I thin separating her and keeping her in the dark for a little longer is probably going to be the best way to deal with it for now.

I laughted when i read about you thinking of sleeping in the coop as i could see myself doing that too.