Happy I choose to raise chicks

[reenie27]

Hi everyone, I just joined BYC, Trying to learn about chickens, there is a lot of information out there, my head hurts from reading all this, so I'll just take it slow. In April I bought five chicks, which the farmer said they were good layers. I found out not to long ago that one is a Rooster, and he was the runt in the bunch. So now I have four hens and a Rooster. He was a little angel. Now he is starting to crow, and very very hard headed. He refuses to go in his coop. I notice he started to push the ladies around a bit.
I was wondering if he continues to show this behavior should I keep him out of the housing with the ladies and just build him another. He use to let me hold him and everything, I let them run free all the time and put them in before dark. Don't understand how much he is changing. Like to hear some feed back.

thanks for listening

PS love my chickies

reenie27
middletown NJ

 

[RussianChickens]

Sounds like a rooster to me. They can be knot heads. I had one once that refused to sleep in anything but a tree, even in gale force winds and heavy cold rain. He also made my hens sleep up there with him (I wasn't happy about that). Then ALWAYS had to strut the open part of the lawn making an awful racket all day every day. Finally one day while he was advertising him self as a meal in the front lawn a hawk decided to take him up on that offer. Lol

Got new roosters and these seam MUCH better other than they are flighty. My yard rooster is a nice boy, even lets us hold him...sometimes. lol

If you don't want chicks or fertilized eggs keep him out, other ways they should be fine.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan

You might try teaching your birds to go into the coop in the evening before it gets dark by feeding them a little scratch grain inside only - then closing them in. Eventually he will get the idea.

Roosters will often be quite assertive when "teenagers". He no longer wants to be babied, so best not to try to get too social with him.

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, reenie27, and

! Happy to have you aboard! Yep, that's a rooster for you - they get pretty single minded and stubborn when they get to a certain age. Monitor him to make sure he isn't mean to the girls - overbreeding might be a concern as well with so few hens. Good luck to you!

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

He's feeling his hormones and thinks he is Mr.Bigstuff.

 

[Tuhmu]

and good luck with your poultry adventure! Hope you make it though the teen years

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC! Glad you joined us!