Hey gang been a minute since I have posted, we are in full swing with our gardens and have been busy!
So we have 7 cockerels from our hatch and it has taken a bit of shuffling the boys about but we have all seven cockerels in the enclosed run and the 7 - one-year-old egg layers, eight - 4-month old pullets and Rocco our alpha buff roo free ranging during the day and have access to the main coop. At first we had a lot of roo drama between the young males, the alpha of them was targeting a specific male in the run, so I had to pull the alpha out and put him with the main flock. That was good for him as he got chased around by the hens and his dad. The young pullets still were not out and about and would stay inthe coop during the day as the young roo was always harassing them. Well at that time I discovered another roo with the flock and tossed the young alpha and the other roo in the run together with the other 5, drama over. Sure they still scrap here and there but not nearly as much as when they are out with the females. They are rather large and some seem as big as Rocco already, the Buff x Delaware mix seems the largest. I am sharing this experience because you just have to work through these issues and trust your gut. It is trial and error, no two flocks are the same. Sure there are some basic flock dynamic that play out and you have to learn how to manipulate them to your advantage. Roo's will fight, it is in their nature.
The young pullets from our hatch are now almost four months old, they use to be sleeping in the nest boxes until recently. In the past week they have begun roosting with the rest of the flock. I am taking that as a sign of them starting to come into maturity. They are now following Rocco and the flock, which is what we wanted them to start doing. Thank god they have started doing that as we have had a large hawk perch in the tree above their free range area in the last two days. Rocco has been sounding the alert and they run for cover under the cover of a low tree. That is making me nervous seeing that large bird hanging around lately. They are also becoming a little more friendly, no squatting yet!
Our dark Cornish is broody again, I think maybe she laid one egg after the chicks she hatched left and now is continually on the nest box. She is sleeping in them, if I let her, some nights I pull her out and out her in the roost. Inevitability by the am she is back in the nest box. She would continually hatch if I let her. She takes no **** from anyone and goes at it with the young roo's in the enclosed run through the chicken wire.
That is the update from chicken land here in North Boulder, oh and Rocco has become somewhat protective of his flock and aggressive at times towards people. He has tried spurring me and pecking me, I have started carrying a lid from a bucket with me when I go into the area. He likes to wait until I am walking away, I have started learning and anticipating the approach and have tapped him on his chest with the bucket lid before he has a chance to get me. I have startled him a few times this way. I then have chased him down and carried him around for a bit while I do various tasks. Seems to be working a little better now, just have to stay vigilant. I guess he didn't like the fact that I rounded up his egg layers (16 of them at the beginning of the summer and sold them, he watched the whole thing). Lesson learned, next time lock up the roo when you are rounding up his girls to get rid of.
@uzisuzuki sorry about Ody, but these things happen between roo's. It is in their nature, don't beat yourself up, his injuries don't look too bad. Remember we had our two buffs found in a battle for death, we had found them after 40 minutes of fighting (we have security camera and watched the footage). It would have been a battle to death if I had not found them. I beat myself up at first but then just realize these things happen with chickens. For us we just don't have enough space for two roo's in the free range area, it just works better for us to have one. Congrats on getting the pea hens, Damien must be in peacock heaven.
So have been able to work on my lotion, salve and lip balm recipes lately and made a few batches. I made a nice anti-oxidant face cream with essential oils, Shea butter, etc. I made a lavendar grapefruit lotion and a cannabis/arnica/comfrey/lanolin salve. Also have been a using baking soda and apple cider vinegar for my shampoo and conditioner routine as it naturally balances the ph of you hair and scalp. I have also worked off my nerve med and have been working on reducing another med. My road to health and healing naturally continues and eventually want to be off all pharmaceutical meds. I have not been able to get back to yoga since my arm surgery in Feb but am hoping to start up again Sept.
Boy it sure has been feeling like fall lately!
Welcome newbies!
