Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Kris5902]

That’s very interesting, as if Jabber viewed you as competition for his girls, or an unwelcome distraction.
I guess I am wondering also if the rooster alleviates some of the hen to hen bullying, which was a problem for us in our previous rooster-free flock. It’s not something I would deliberately obtain (or keep) a rooster for, but just a curiosity about how much roosters “moderate” conflict if it gets out of hand.
In the meantime, August stays off to the side when we enter—wary, alert, only going in for mash or treats after I have backed off. I do have a few hens who like to peck my legs, and a small “cohort” does tend to shadow me through the run and at this stage he has not intervened. Hoping this is a good sign.

I believe it has a lot to do with the individual boy. Barney and Sammy seem to keep conflicts to a minimum in their groups. Mr Marans (though very defensive towards outwards threats) will let his girls bully each other awfully. Now that Chickie Hawk has his flock sorted he rules them quite strictly... herding them into the roost box in bad weather, at the sight of a dog, goats, a strange vehicle. He’s a little overprotective. Bob (my Rooster Bob not @rjohns39 or @BY Bob ) is mostly confused by his ladies most days, he tries to tidbit and woo them but they are a pack of voracious little dinosaurs first thing in the mornings! Sammy, when he was free ranging, had a brief period when he would be “upset” with the girls following me about, we solved that one with mealworms and always bringing his ladies back to him.

 

[Shadrach]

That’s very interesting, as if Jabber viewed you as competition for his girls, or an unwelcome distraction.
I guess I am wondering also if the rooster alleviates some of the hen to hen bullying, which was a problem for us in our previous rooster-free flock. It’s not something I would deliberately obtain (or keep) a rooster for, but just a curiosity about how much roosters “moderate” conflict if it gets out of hand.
In the meantime, August stays off to the side when we enter—wary, alert, only going in for mash or treats after I have backed off. I do have a few hens who like to peck my legs, and a small “cohort” does tend to shadow me through the run and at this stage he has not intervened. Hoping this is a good sign.

Roosters moderate the hens disputes a lot here.
They do lots of other things that may not be seen in the various keeping arrangements people have.
If you are interested I wrote a rather long article on why roosters do what they do.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

 

[Shadrach]

Hurry, daughter of Ruffles is getting ready to lay her first egg. She's making a major performance out of it.
The usual is the junior rooster escorts the pullets around the various prospective nesting sites making encouraging noises and nest preparations at what he considers suitable locations. (I wrote an article about this. It's in my articles section)
Hurry has been all over the place with Treacle. She did eventually make a nest in this maternity unit and one in the tribes coop.
This is hurry on her nest with Treacle standing guard.

Fat Bird, who is the most senior hen arrived and drove Hurry off the nest. Also normal; the most senior hen has the last word in such matters.

Hurry having been driven off her nest gives the escort call and Cillin responds, much to Treacle's annoyance who naturally got driven away. Cillin can't manage all the hens and Fudge who was elsewhere called for him and off he went leaving Treacle alone with Hurry. Hurry went back to the other maternity coop and once again gave the escort call.
Treacle was quick enough to mate with Hurry before Cillin got to the pair.

Cillin didn't take any more chances and for a time was in the coop with Hurry keeping Treacle away.

Despite all the drama, Hurry didn't lay an egg today.

 

[ValerieJ]

Roosters moderate the hens disputes a lot here.
They do lots of other things that may not be seen in the various keeping arrangements people have.
If you are interested I wrote a rather long article on why roosters do what they do.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/understanding-your-rooster.75056/

I've read that article a couple times. Good article!!!

I'm having to manage my two cockerels atm. Pippi, the smaller one, has taken a liking to the older hens, and they seem to like him too. Mad the larger cockerel, picks on him, so he wants to be in with the hens every day. So, I let him in. Then when the day ends he is frantic to get back into Mad's coop. I think this is going to be happening for a while.

 

[BY Bob]

Hurry, daughter of Ruffles is getting ready to lay her first egg. She's making a major performance out of it.
The usual is the junior rooster escorts the pullets around the various prospective nesting sites making encouraging noises and nest preparations at what he considers suitable locations. (I wrote an article about this. It's in my articles section)
Hurry has been all over the place with Treacle. She did eventually make a nest in this maternity unit and one in the tribes coop.
This is hurry on her nest with Treacle standing guard.
View attachment 1998189 Fat Bird, who is the most senior hen arrived and drove Hurry off the nest. Also normal; the most senior hen has the last word in such matters.
View attachment 1998188 Hurry having been driven off her nest gives the escort call and Cillin responds, much to Treacle's annoyance who naturally got driven away. Cillin can't manage all the hens and Fudge who was elsewhere called for him and off he went leaving Treacle alone with Hurry. Hurry went back to the other maternity coop and once again gave the escort call.
Treacle was quick enough to mate with Hurry before Cillin got to the pair.
View attachment 1998187 Cillin didn't take any more chances and for a time was in the coop with Hurry keeping Treacle away.
View attachment 1998186
Despite all the drama, Hurry didn't lay an egg today.

It’s like a soap opera. Egg laying cann be so dramatic, especially the first time! I love it.

 

[ValerieJ]

Hurry, daughter of Ruffles is getting ready to lay her first egg. She's making a major performance out of it.
The usual is the junior rooster escorts the pullets around the various prospective nesting sites making encouraging noises and nest preparations at what he considers suitable locations. (I wrote an article about this. It's in my articles section)
Hurry has been all over the place with Treacle. She did eventually make a nest in this maternity unit and one in the tribes coop.
This is hurry on her nest with Treacle standing guard.
View attachment 1998189 Fat Bird, who is the most senior hen arrived and drove Hurry off the nest. Also normal; the most senior hen has the last word in such matters.
View attachment 1998188 Hurry having been driven off her nest gives the escort call and Cillin responds, much to Treacle's annoyance who naturally got driven away. Cillin can't manage all the hens and Fudge who was elsewhere called for him and off he went leaving Treacle alone with Hurry. Hurry went back to the other maternity coop and once again gave the escort call.
Treacle was quick enough to mate with Hurry before Cillin got to the pair.
View attachment 1998187 Cillin didn't take any more chances and for a time was in the coop with Hurry keeping Treacle away.
View attachment 1998186
Despite all the drama, Hurry didn't lay an egg today.

Who can blame her with all the commotion around her!!!

 

[Shadrach]

It’s like a soap opera. Egg laying cann be so dramatic, especially the first time! I love it.

One of the main reasons this first egg business is important to me, is if a pullet, who doesn't have the experience of the older hens, lays an egg outside, then I need to know where.
When I see the various tribes around the place I now who should be in each tribe. If one is missing I want to know why. With the hens it is usually because she's gone to lay an egg somewhere, but some times it means there are problems.

If it's a dangerous site, I take the egg and destroy the nest. The roosters are pretty good at trying to tempt the pullets to lay in the coops and nest boxes which makes life easier.

 

[Shadrach]

Who can blame her with all the commotion around her!!!

You should hear her!!
She goes on all day! She wanders off a bit and then calls for Cillin or Treacle. They leave the rest of the tribe. They just get Hurry settled and then she goes off again with the escort call. Poor chaps are running around like blue arsed flies.

 

[ValerieJ]

You should hear her!!
She goes on all day! She wanders off a bit and then calls for Cillin or Treacle. They leave the rest of the tribe. They just get Hurry settled and then she goes off again with the escort call. Poor chaps are running around like blue arsed flies.

 

[LozzyR]

I might have screamed if I saw that. I don't care for spiders and in my car!

A couple of years ago, I was taking my son to music class. We just got into the car when he let out an an ear-piercing scream and I leapt back out again. There was a fair-sized Huntsman in the back seat. My in-laws live next door and my MIL was on hand to take care of the spider whilst we took hubby’s car. So glad that didn’t happen whilst we were driving!