Confounded by Sicilian buttercup chicks shunning their heat cave

[BigBlueHen53]

When most of mine had gone through the little tunnel (that used to be a composting bin) from the big run into the little one that contains the coop, two littles got left behind. I went out to shoo them through the magic tunnel. But my good intentions backfired. Instead of hustling away from me toward the tunnel, they ran toward me, chirping joyously, which brought a couple of their companions back out of the tunnel to see what was up. Oh, no! I've been tossing them mealworms every afternoon to help tame them. Instead of running away from me as they used to do, now they are under foot, wanting me to rain down worms on them. I gave up and went back in the house. DH can lock them up later, when it gets darker and they go to bed. Guess you have to be smarter than the birds.

 

[kurby22]

Hehehe I very much enjoy your stories! I’m glad to hear you have accepted that the deer are dumb chickens are hilariously entertaining thanks for the update!

 

[Htxchicks]

Buttercups are fairly independent chicks. Roosting should be easy for them. Mine stopped piling up as soon as roosts were available.

Yes my buttercup cross has weened its self from mom already and she’s like 3 weeks!

 

[Htxchicks]

My buttercup cross is the one between the Cochin feet. That little chick made it all the way up 5 1/2 feet to the high roost before she was even feathered. The prednaseca chicks I have my pure bred buttercup raising won’t roost yet. Buttercup Mom been trying to get them to for more than a week now. Those chicks are like 2 weeks old now.

I kind of hope my buttercup/Amerucana cross ends up a boy so I can cross it to my pendacena hen and possibly get a sort of Mediterranean cross olive egger!

 

[azygous]

Bet you have a hard time finding the two chicks among the adults. They step right outside now, and seem totally unafraid of the endless sky that might contain endless chicken eating aerial predators or the forest just a few feet away that might contain chicken eating monsters.

Oh, wait. That's me that afraid of those things.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@azygous, are my chicks safe with my roo? He danced at one of my pullets today but when she scooted away from him, he left her alone. The littles are about 9 weeks old. I won't need to separate them from him, will I? As they get a little older? I remember how the cockerels terrorized their "siblings" before the girls were ready....

 

[azygous]

I wouldn't trust a cockerel around chicks or pullets under five months. (Reminder: cockerels are males up to one year old.) Mature roosters are different. Most, that's a qualified "most", are not a danger to chicks, and know when a pullet is coming into lay by her behavior so won't terrorize those that are not mature.

But if you have a rooster that is unpredictable, occasionally misbehaves, it would be best not to permit him around chicks and young pullets.

My roosters are both mature and seasoned and are very reliably well behaved. But I still don't permit them near tiny baby chicks under four weeks old.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm keeping an eye on him. So far, other than the occasional flirting, he seems to be behaving very well. All the littles, six cockerels and 12 pullets, follow him closely like he's the Pied Piper, and my 11 older birds seem very relaxed with him. I'm not sure exactly how old he is although he appears fully mature (I know, that's no guide!). He does not act crazy hormonal like a cockerel, though. I quite like him.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

View attachment 2880488View attachment 2880489Bet you have a hard time finding the two chicks among the adults. They step right outside now, and seem totally unafraid of the endless sky that might contain endless chicken eating aerial predators or the forest just a few feet away that might contain chicken eating monsters.

Oh, wait. That's me that afraid of those things.

Are the two chicks at the lower left (at five o'clock) in the second picture? I'm really enjoying your Tales of Two Buttercups!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are the two chicks at the lower left (at five o'clock) in the second picture? I'm really enjoying your Tales of Two Buttercups!

Bingo! And they're to the right of the roo on the first photo.