techbsmith
Chicken Hoarder
Some background -
I recently lost an EE pullet due to excessive bullying from a RIR. I was absolutely devastated, I've noticed the RIR being a bully, frankly an outright hateful bird at times. After the loss of my EE, I had decided to process the RIR this weekend when I process the extra cockerels that I have. I really don't care about the egg a day, but more about the overall quality of life and health of the flock.
Last night, about 2 hours before sunset, I let all the girls out of the main pen to forage in the yard. This was the first time to free range for the younger pullets, and of course, the older girls knew what to do and drug them happily out into the yard to investigate everything.
Since I was planning to cull all of the excess cockerel's today - I've been keeping all the cockerel's in one run/coop and all of the girls in another - I went ahead and let the cockerel out to range with the girls that I've decided to keep. He's a GLW, and is really growing into a handsome young fellow. He's the biggest, best marked, most developed of all the GLW cockerel's I have, but more importantly he seems to be the most alert and is clearly the dominant bird. I've been out before and heard him sound an alarm, then looked up and saw hawks circling overhead.
There was a good bit of foraging, then the RIR spotted the "new" bird - she literally ran to him and started fluffing up. What happened next will cause me to chuckle for a while! Sonny (The GLW cockerel) put her in her place, mounted her, and did what boy birds do. As soon as he pecked on her, she squatted into submission - I've NEVER seen her squat into submission until now. After he was done, he cheerfully went about foraging.
Of course, he did mount some of the other girls - but no fights and no fuss. After what looked like a pretty smooth introduction, when it was time for the girls to head to roost, I let him follow them into the main run/coop for the night. This morning, I sat for a few hours watching, you know it's that ritual of sunday morning, coffee, 70F temps .. one MUST sit outside and chicken watch! I watched him do his Rooster Dance, make cute lil flirty noises at the girls, and every time the RIR started to bully as soon as the other chicken made a distress noise, he would run at the RIR and peck her. She has since been pretty much following him around like a teenager madly in love with a rock star.
So, for now - I think I'll spare the RIR from being processed and see how things progress. If she continues to be a better flock member, then I'll cheerfully take her beautiful dark brown large egg a day. Meanwhile - here's a couple of pics of Sonny the wonder Cockerel!
I recently lost an EE pullet due to excessive bullying from a RIR. I was absolutely devastated, I've noticed the RIR being a bully, frankly an outright hateful bird at times. After the loss of my EE, I had decided to process the RIR this weekend when I process the extra cockerels that I have. I really don't care about the egg a day, but more about the overall quality of life and health of the flock.
Last night, about 2 hours before sunset, I let all the girls out of the main pen to forage in the yard. This was the first time to free range for the younger pullets, and of course, the older girls knew what to do and drug them happily out into the yard to investigate everything.
Since I was planning to cull all of the excess cockerel's today - I've been keeping all the cockerel's in one run/coop and all of the girls in another - I went ahead and let the cockerel out to range with the girls that I've decided to keep. He's a GLW, and is really growing into a handsome young fellow. He's the biggest, best marked, most developed of all the GLW cockerel's I have, but more importantly he seems to be the most alert and is clearly the dominant bird. I've been out before and heard him sound an alarm, then looked up and saw hawks circling overhead.
There was a good bit of foraging, then the RIR spotted the "new" bird - she literally ran to him and started fluffing up. What happened next will cause me to chuckle for a while! Sonny (The GLW cockerel) put her in her place, mounted her, and did what boy birds do. As soon as he pecked on her, she squatted into submission - I've NEVER seen her squat into submission until now. After he was done, he cheerfully went about foraging.
Of course, he did mount some of the other girls - but no fights and no fuss. After what looked like a pretty smooth introduction, when it was time for the girls to head to roost, I let him follow them into the main run/coop for the night. This morning, I sat for a few hours watching, you know it's that ritual of sunday morning, coffee, 70F temps .. one MUST sit outside and chicken watch! I watched him do his Rooster Dance, make cute lil flirty noises at the girls, and every time the RIR started to bully as soon as the other chicken made a distress noise, he would run at the RIR and peck her. She has since been pretty much following him around like a teenager madly in love with a rock star.
So, for now - I think I'll spare the RIR from being processed and see how things progress. If she continues to be a better flock member, then I'll cheerfully take her beautiful dark brown large egg a day. Meanwhile - here's a couple of pics of Sonny the wonder Cockerel!
