First Time Chicken Owner with Potential Disaster.

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I had a hen way back when I started that I was SURE was a roo. She was big and had a big comb and gee whizz was she aggressive! Whew! I was really upset because she was a barred rock and I wanted a barred rock hen.

Now (five years later) I have a top hen named Janet Reno!

She still looks like a roo!

But, she pops out an egg every day and keeps a firm hold on her top spot on the roost!!

Good luck!

 

[tclegg]

Quote:
I agree x2--and as far as the store telling you about needing a rooster for just egg laying...they're in the "right" business all right--FULL OF BULL...

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
I had two hens that tag teamed the other birds. They even killed my Wheaten Marans pullet last year. I was so mad I stuck them in with the FBCM hens and they got bullied for a while. Not because my Maranas are mean. They aren't. They are sweethearts, but they are big and did that any guff. When they finally got added with the original ones, they bullied again, so I got rid of one and the other mellowed out. Pecking order was one thing, but those two together were bad news. I could probably put any of my hens together now, but everyone is separated by breed and color. I have roos that get along great, but the also re-establish order if I move them in with the hens and back together again.

I don't think you'd have to resort to clipping beaks. That's usually what they do with battery hens when they are so crowded they have nothing to do but peack. A friendly backyard flock shouldn't have a bird so agressive that this would be neccessary. I wouldn't have even done that to my bullies. Separating them knocked down their pecking order. I just sold the second one 2 weeks ago. She was a much nicer and mellower bird after her buddy was removed.

 

[Pele]

Yay I'm glad that things are sorting out! It's amazing to me just how common the myth is that you need a rooster to get eggs. Heck, I used to think so before I researched in preparation to get chickens!

It does sound like you might want to keep your roo though, he's showing signs of being a good roo if he's trying to keep the peace in the flock. THat's one of the solemn duties of the rooster

.

Make sure the feed you are giving your young flock right now is either 'pullet developer' or 'developer' feed. It has higher protien and more nutrients to help support their insane growth at this age. You switch over to 'laying feed' when they start laying.

I'm so happy that you found us! This is the most supportive and wonderful group of people on the internet, IMO!

 

[Axle Quails]