Expert Problem Re: Sexing and Feed

[linuxusr]

Not sure who would do that tho.

If you look at my last post, you'll see that the answer is No one! I'm between a rock and a hard place! The only upside is that I don't have 100% cockerels.

 

[aart]

If you look at my last post, you'll see that the answer is No one! I'm between a rock and a hard place! The only upside is that I don't have 100% cockerels.

Another upside would be turning the cockerels into meat for the freezer.

 

[linuxusr]

Another upside would be turning the cockerels into meat for the freezer.

Cough! Cough! My babies? Yeah, I get it.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Cough! Cough! My babies? Yeah, I get it.

After they attack you a few times, they'll start looking tastier.

 

[linuxusr]

After they attack you a few times, they'll start looking tastier.

When I go in to change my feeders, I do notice that they peck me rather hard! Hmm.

 

[LizzzyJo]

When I go in to change my feeders, I do notice that they peck me rather hard! Hmm.

 

[linuxusr]

OP: Hello ALL:

I finally have two new hens (seven males to six females) and also a new problem, LOL!

First, it turns out that the place I bought the hens was a typical veterinaria selling hundreds of birds of many types. I had intended to upload photos here but, as it turns out, the two hens I bought were identical to the "breed" and color variety that I already had, with the same (lack of) development of comb and wattles, age +/- 2 weeks to the ones I have.

My breed is known here as jabao and there are different color varieties. I have one hen of another breed called joco. She's a beautiful bird, jet black, with intermixed black and rust colored hackles.

As you may well guess, my new problem has to do with introducing new birds into an established pecking order, something of which you all have a lot of experience and I have none.

As background, I'm beginning to figure out the pecking order. First, two alpha males; second, five beta males; third, the single female joco; fourth, four hens, jabao colorada, the color being rust; fifth, on the bottom, my two new females, also jabao colorada.

Cutting to the chase, the beta males chase the new females when they try to feed with the flock. The new females have remained sequestered in a nesting box, face in, now for about 18 hours, since yesterday afternoon. I am concerned about dehydration, since the waterers are on the other end of the coop, and the food nearby, and the hens have to run the gauntlet if they want to eat/drink. I threw some food near them when the flock was feeding which one began to eat but when the others discovered this food, they all descended on it.

So noob questions. . . . Do I have a problem? Potential problem? Could they die? Should I do anything?

Thanks much!!

 

[Painted Calls]

For that number of hens/pullets, you will need to get rid of all but 1 (MAYBE 2 depending on space) cockerels/roosters.

 

[linuxusr]

Hmmm, you have set off a brainstorm in my brain! I'll get to the point in a minute. I have much experience in Haiti and speak the language. There, if someone wants to nail something, they search about for a bent nail that someone threw away, unbend it with a rock, and nail it with a rock. Given this, most people cannot buy or make cages for chickens although, certainly, some can. What do the others do? Easy. They tie a string around one leg of a chicken and tie the other end around a chunk of concrete. End of story.

For better or worse, for richer or poorer, I am tied to my cockerels whom I have raised since they were about 2.5 weeks old. I cannot say good-bye. Neither will it be easy to suddenly "build" and erect a new cage to separate them, per your suggestion, although I could. Maybe I should just use the Haiti method. Leave, maybe one beta male with the flock, and pull the rest of my cockerels, and tie them up in my backyard patio with no more than a concrete block and pieces of cord, easy to feed and water, hose down the poop (I have drainage). I would then be doing the same as thousands do in Haiti every day . . .

Maybe this way I could have my cake/cockerels and eat it too (bad pun), and still separate all those males, leaving in my coop all the females and one beta male.

What'd'ya think?

 

[Painted Calls]

As long as you do it with the welfare of the bird in mind (I don't doubt you at all - I can see your love for them), I don't see a problem with this.

They would need little shelters though for inclement weather. Another thing to think about is predators. What are predators there like? The goat offering in Jurrassic Park comes to mind here.