Cockerels behaviour

[Plchat25]

Hello, I have a few questions to ask. As i asked earlier about gender of new chickens my house just adopted which turn out to be boys. I noticed their behaviours that very different from hens we have. First, they're so attached to us humans. Whenever we're not around they just come close to house door and sit. We've try to introduce them to our hens we side gate close so hens can see them but those 2 boys just sat near house door instead. Unless one of use come outside and they would start to go near gate. Or if they're saw my dad do some work around they would just go near gate and watch him. Secondly, they don't know how to dig the ground like our hens. All they did just sit close to the house door or went to eat. They don't even know how to eat corns or some chopped vegetables. Thirdly, they don't know how to bath themselves at all. We noticed those behaviour that's really odd about them. All I know that they're 4 months old and been raised by previous owner since they a day old. I was told that previous owner's daughters love to handle them. I even noticed that they like to eat from our hands more. Forget about crow for now. I feel like they're don't even know how to crow but need to wait and see. Someone told me that we might even have to help them soiled bath here's picture of them. I don't even know nor care what breed right now. I'm more worried about if they'll be able have chicken's instinct or not. Ah one more thing, the light one we're noticed that he just kept eating until he about to throw up as if he scare that he might not get foods again. Me and my mun think that previous owner just put foods but not noticed that the bigger hens shove them out so they didn't get enough to eat. They're really skinny. We're trying to comfort them that it's okay there's plenty of foods.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Hello, I have a few questions to ask. As i asked earlier about gender of new chickens my house just adopted which turn out to be boys. I noticed their behaviours that very different from hens we have. First, they're so attached to us humans. Whenever we're not around they just come close to house door and sit. We've try to introduce them to our hens we side gate close so hens can see them but those 2 boys just sat near house door instead. Unless one of use come outside and they would start to go near gate. Or if they're saw my dad do some work around they would just go near gate and watch him. Secondly, they don't know how to dig the ground like our hens. All they did just sit close to the house door or went to eat. They don't even know how to eat corns or some chopped vegetables. Thirdly, they don't know how to bath themselves at all. We noticed those behaviour that's really odd about them. All I know that they're 4 months old and been raised by previous owner since they a day old. I was told that previous owner's daughters love to handle them. I even noticed that they like to eat from our hands more. Forget about crow for now. I feel like they're don't even know how to crow but need to wait and see. Someone told me that we might even have to help them soiled bath here's picture of them. I don't even know nor care what breed right now. I'm more worried about if they'll be able have chicken's instinct or not. Ah one more thing, the light one we're noticed that he just kept eating until he about to throw up as if he scare that he might not get foods again. Me and my mun think that previous owner just put foods but not noticed that the bigger hens shove them out so they didn't get enough to eat. They're really skinny. We're trying to comfort them that it's okay there's plenty of foods.View attachment 3870365View attachment 3870366View attachment 3870367

How long have you had them? And what 'exactly' are you feeding them?

My thoughts are they are chickens and genetically know how to be a chicken, so they will dust bathe etc. when they need to. As far as your other older hens? The newbies will stay far away from them for now, til they get used to each other.

 

[Plchat25]

How long have you had them? And what 'exactly' are you feeding them?

My thoughts are they are chickens and genetically know how to be a chicken, so they will dust bathe etc. when they need to. As far as your other older hens? The newbies will stay far away from them for now, til they get used to each other.

At first for now we feed them the same as our hens. Chicken mash and chicken layers. They're eating well. We've gave them almost just like we gave our hens for now. Well get different one especially for rooster later. We also gave some chopped vegetables such as cabbages to both hens and newbie. Newbies just don't know how to pecking from the ground. Our hens addicted to sandwich sausage after we introduced to them if we didn't give them they would came close to our house door and knocking or making sound until they got what they want. They still eat chicken mash and layers as normal. That's why we did gave those 2 new the same as extraordinary taste. They love it same as our hens. We also give them some leftover foods like rice our girls eat but those boys act like they don't know how to eat. Those hens just eat almost anything besides actual leftover vegetables that's look like leftover. If not look new or fresh those hens won't eat it. Sorry we've spoil them. Our hens just 7 months old. We've got our hens when they were 2 weeks old. They already went and digging around starting to bath themselves when they slightly bigger. At 4 months old they're just ordinary chickens and when they turn 5 months old they lay the eggs. That's why me and my mum find these 2 new one very odd. All I know that dark one got attack by previous folk hens until he was bleeding a lot. So when dark one saw our hens he just somewhat afraid. If this coming Tuesday it'll be a week as we got them.

 

[wrathsfarm]

It seems to me they're just not used to eating the 'treats' that your giving them. I think they'll come around by watching what the others are pecking at. All sounds normal with newly acquired birds getting used to new surroundings and new foods.

 

[Plchat25]

It seems to me they're just not used to eating the 'treats' that your giving them. I think they'll come around by watching what the others are pecking at. All sounds normal with newly acquired birds getting used to new surroundings and new foods.

Okay thank you. That a relief. I might update later how are they when they grow bigger.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Okay thank you. That a relief. I might update later how are they when they grow bigger.

Yes, do that. You are keeping them separated/quaranteed from the others still in a see each other but no touch area?

 

[Plchat25]

Yes, do that. You are keeping them separated/quaranteed from the others still in a see each other but no touch area?

Yeep, we keep them apart but they still can see each other. Just sometime our ladies tried to eat foods same bowl with newbies. We put very close to gate. And monitoring them. The light one was the only one that protective over bowls but unable to win our ladies. One of hens just act like meh I'm bigger. Dark one just mind his own business and eat with hesitation but still eat. We got 2 bowls one mash one layers. Let's hope they soon get along. Either me or my mum must present there so those boys would go foods near gate area. Else they just came back to house door without us present. As for hens, once they lay eggs we've move them and confined them near newbies. Else they won't go near at all. One of 3 hens already less aggressive towards boys waiting other 2 to get use to.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Yeep, we keep them apart but they still can see each other. Just sometime our ladies tried to eat foods same bowl with newbies. We put very close to gate. And monitoring them. The light one was the only one that protective over bowls but unable to win our ladies. One of hens just act like meh I'm bigger. Dark one just mind his own business and eat with hesitation but still eat. We got 2 bowls one mash one layers. Let's hope they soon get along. Either me or my mum must present there so those boys would go foods near gate area. Else they just came back to house door without us present. As for hens, once they lay eggs we've move them and confined them near newbies. Else they won't go near at all. One of 3 hens already less aggressive towards boys waiting other 2 to get use to.

Do any of your birds free range at all or are they always in a run/pen? Separate coops/sleeping areas?

 

[wrathsfarm]

Yeep, we keep them apart but they still can see each other. Just sometime our ladies tried to eat foods same bowl with newbies. We put very close to gate. And monitoring them. The light one was the only one that protective over bowls but unable to win our ladies. One of hens just act like meh I'm bigger. Dark one just mind his own business and eat with hesitation but still eat. We got 2 bowls one mash one layers. Let's hope they soon get along. Either me or my mum must present there so those boys would go foods near gate area. Else they just came back to house door without us present. As for hens, once they lay eggs we've move them and confined them near newbies. Else they won't go near at all. One of 3 hens already less aggressive towards boys waiting other 2 to get use to.

Sounds like your doing great so far and should be close to letting them all mingle together/integrate. You may have an issue with your roo/hen ratio having the 2 boys if they decide to want to fight over the girls eventually, and may have to come to a decision to only keep one, if they can't get along. Unless you do 2 separate flocks if you have the space.

How many girls total ?

 

[red horse ranch]

Roosters and cockerels should not eat layer food. There is too much calcium in the layer and it can affect their bone development. I've had several roosters years ago that lost the use of their legs at around 2 or 3 years old when they were fed layer mix. I only use all flock for all my chickens now. I keep oyster shell for the hens.